The Icelandic volcano that has been disrupting thousands of flights with its ash plume has significantly reduced in activity, according to the Icelandic Meteorological Office.

No ash was detected from the Eyjafjallajokul volcano on Sunday in a flight over the crater by Icelandic scientists.

Measurements with a heat camera from the test flight indicated that the temperature at the crater was just under 100°C, confirming that the volcano was now spouting steam instead of ash.

However, scientists warn that the volcano could erupt again and that it was impossible to predict when.

The slow down in volcanic activity is good news for commercial airlines and millions of passengers planning to fly in the near future.

The volcano beneath the Eyjafjallajokull glacier in southern Iceland erupted in mid-April, sending a dense cloud of ash into the atmosphere, disrupting international travel for several days.

Volcanic ash can be a serious hazard to aircraft, reducing visibility, damaging flight controls and ultimately causing jet engines to fail.

(Source: CNN)