Yes it is looking like the airlines brought this on themselves. ICAO asked for their expert input on what concentrations of ash were safe to fly in, the airlines failed to respond or even attend any meetings, which left the only alternative of only zero ash is safe.
Iceland warned of volcano danger to planes “for years”
25 April 2010.
Icelandic air traffic control has often warned of the potential impact to international aviation of a volcanic eruption in Iceland; but despite this, European airlines and controllers continue to say that nothing could have predicted that an Icelandic volcano would have such a massive impact on aviation.
Norway’s Aftenposten newspaper spoke to Icelandic air traffic controller Egill Thordarson who said that volcanic ash training exercises have been taking place in Iceland four times a year for the last decade and British and Norwegian teams have joined in on more than one occasion.
Thordarson told Aftenposten that the exercises have consistently proven the potential danger of volcanic ash to aeroplanes and said he has been sending out regular weather updates to European colleagues concerning volcanic activity in Iceland for the last two years.
The journal of Norwegian pilots, Flygelederen, published a six page article on the dangers of an Icelandic eruption in December last year.
Iceland warned of volcano danger to planes “for years” | IceNews - Daily News