Airlines out of pocket as travellers head for the ports

British Airways said the closure has cost it 15m to 20m a day and it has asked the British Government and the European Union for compensation.

Budget flyer easyJet said it had taken a hit of around 40m so far after having to cancel 4,500 flights over the past five days.

Plans were grounded for five new EasyJet routes from Doncaster's Robin Hood airport, to Amsterdam, Prague, Barcelona, Faro and Majorca, forcing the postponement of what airport director Mike Morton called a "massive milestone for the airport."

Every day the volcanic ash cloud continues to ground planes costs EasyJet another 5m in lost profits.

One study, by UBS Investment Research, said Europe's top six airlines – BA, Lufthansa, Iberia, Air Finland, EasyJet and Ryanair – were losing revenue of between 120 and 140m euros (105m to 124m) each day.

The crisis has sparked a rise in demand for passenger ferry crossings from Hull. P & O Ferries' voyages to Rotterdam and Zeebrugge were sold-out last night and were expected to be at capacity again tonight.

The routes would normally be about 30 or 40 per cent full.

P & O said yesterday it was receiving 400 calls every 15 minutes, equivalent to one every two seconds. It had seen more than 10 times as many daily bookings compared with what was expected for this time of year.