I wouldn't expect commercial jets to be able to detect it; that's why we have air-traffic control to route them around it. The Dornier was sent to where the weather satellite had already detected the worst pollution - and returned totally unscathed. So much for "very dangerous."
As I've said before - just use that useful plane to map the dustiest areas and levels and avoid them; this is going on for a very long time and it isn't going to get better quickly. Volcanic ash makes talc seem like gravel and can stay airborne for years - see Krakatoa.
Comparing the highly-technical description of "a bit of muck" to the hellish conditions that actually damaged engines in past incidents is disingenuous. Consider how much grit a jet ingests, without damage, just taxi-ing around a dusty airport.
Engine manufacturers must issue operating parameters for their products and in many areas of the UK these are being easily met. A total NATS ban - even on hot-air balloons - is ludicrous.
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