While there are lots more important problems arising due to the closing of London’s airports because of the plume of ash from the Icelandic volcano, for major players in the book industry the impact on the London Book Fair has been — well, disastrous. According to the latest from the UK’s National Weather Service, “Volcanic ash continues to affect the UK. The Eyjafjallajökull volcano is still erupting and weather patterns continue to blow volcanic ash towards the UK. Over the weekend, Met Office observations have detected dust in the atmosphere and on the ground. A research aircraft has recently encountered dust during its flight.” According to a report from NATS (“The UK’s leading Air Navigation Services Provider”), “Based on the latest information from the Met Office, NATS advises that the current restrictions across UK controlled airspace due to the volcanic ash cloud will remain in place until at least 1900 (local) on Monday 19 April.”

The Eyjafjallajökull volcano

Anecdotal reports — including many originating in the email boxes of MobyLives — indicate numerous major publishers are unable to attend, and even some who can — such as Penguin — are cancelling major events. Nonetheless, as a Bookseller story reports,

Despite the problems the fair’s pre-show events went off as planned. LBF said people “flocked” to its Masterclass programme on Saturday to hear how to get published and how to write for the screen. Today’s LBF Digital Conference is also taking place as expected.

Meanwhile, contractors and exhibitors eschewed the London sunshine on Saturday as they got down to work on stand building as the main fair took shape. Calls have gone out for ‘stand helpers’ to help attend stands should exhibitors be delayed.

LBF said messages of practical support have come in from all directions — pledges of people to man stands were received from the Romanian and Spanish embassies while others took to the road to arrive in good time for the fair — with exhibitors arriving from continental Europe refusing to be beaten by the volcanic ash.

Despite the sunny disposition of the report, it’s hard to believe that an international rights fair is really able to go forward without anyone from another country being able to attend.

Stay tuned for reality.