why is the flight at FL410 when all the ash is below?
For the same reason that a very light ZFW 738, with a very low fuel load, was zoom climbed through the low level stuff, skirting along the upwind edge of the promulgated cloud, avoiding going anywhere near the tall stuff.
Smoke and mirrors, without smoke or mirrors. Just showbiz.
Made for the media. Made to mislead. Made to deceive.