Although we have had goodness knows how many volcanc eruptions previously, only last year did we even contemplate closing airspace the best part of 1,000 nm from the eruption. It certainly didn't happen, for example, with Mount St Helens in the USA some years ago, where appropriate rerouting and checking of filters allowed things to roll on with an APPROPRIATE level of handling the situation. I wonder what has changed about volcanoes in recent times.
On BBC radio news this morning they had managed to get an interview on the topic with "the expert", probably from the VAAC. The expert immediately prefaced several statements with "we don't know". Well, dear, if we don't know, how can you present yourself as "the expert; this is a description of someone who does know.
WHBM (last year stranded at JFK for a week).