It’s been a rather uneventful airport week. And that’s probably a good thing as it means most airports would have run normally and travellers wouldn’t have had to endure lengthy delays. However, some stories about disruptions and disturbances have reached us regardless:

• Volcanic ash cloud disrupts Australian flights
• Cape Town airport shooting
• Terror arrest at Heathrow Airport

The biggest news in terms of flight delays this week came from Indonesia when the Guardian reported that flights across northern Australia could be affected for days after a volcanic eruption in Indonesia sent a vast ash cloud over the region. Qantas and Virgin Australia have confirmed all their flights to and from the Northern Territory capital of Darwin have been cancelled after Sangeang Api, a volcano off the Indonesian island of Sumbawa, erupted at least three times since Friday, the article read. Virgin Australia today (Sunday) wrote on their website that operations into and out of Darwin (DRW) will resume later this afternoon. Qantas confirmed the same and included Alice Springs (ASP) as well.

Then on Wednesday the BBC reported that one person has been killed and three others injured in a shooting at Cape Town’s international airport (CPT). According to the article the shooting happened in an airport restaurant on a mezzanine floor. Flights to and from the airport have not been disrupted. A BBC reporter said the incident seems to have been part of a terrible domestic affair and there was no terrorism involved.

And just today we heard from London when the BBC reported that police at Heathrow Airport (LHR) have arrested a 19-year-old man suspected of terror offenses. According to the report he was detained on suspicion of “preparing for acts of terrorism”. A spokesman said the arrest was “Syria-related”.

That’s all for this week – safe travels!

[Photo of Sangeang Api volcano’s ash plume from ABC’s Jean Dupuy]