Plume of Ash Closes Scottish Airspace

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Viewing 15 posts - 16 through 30 (of 64 total)

  • JeffRush
    Participant

    If you do have to cancel your trip, then study your travel insurance policy wordings carefully, as an ‘Ash Plume’ may not be considered by your Insurance Policy Underwriters as being ‘bad weather’ which would usually be an event that would lead to the policy cover operating. Good luck … happy to field any further insurance queries on this or any other matter. Jeff Rush, Rush Insurance Services 0844 482 7760.


    VintageKrug
    Participant

    Everything’s gone quiet now:

    http://www.heathrowcam.net/liveradar.php

    Nothing landing or taking off.

    We are alone, just like the oft quoted “Fog on the Channel, Continent Isolated”.

    Daily Hate runs with the predictably understated:

    BRITAIN CUT OFF FROM WORLD

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1266038/Iceland-volcano-erupts-second-time-month-forcing-new-evacuation-tourists.html#ixzz0lANryGWS


    RogerVictor
    Participant

    Well Ladies and Gents by now you’ll know all the news. BBC has been very good.

    At work we usually have 11 people to rotate through 7 positions in the tower. When I arrived today there was only one person working and they were dealing with towing movements. All flights are cancelled until at least 0600 tomorrow.

    The volcanic ash forecasts come out every 6 hours predicting the movemnt of the ‘restricted area’. Next one is due at 1800. Unfortunately the cloud seems to be static over UK/Northern Europe airspace at the moment. They hope it will move and break up
    by tomorrow morning.

    I’m on my way home for a beer in the sun. I suggest anyone hoping to travel does the same

    safe travels


    VintageKrug
    Participant

    This site shows the wider European picture; Belgium and the Netherlands look shut down as well now:

    http://www.flightradar24.com/


    VintageKrug
    Participant

    Latest ash cloud map just released at 1854 BST:

    http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/aviation/vaac/data/VAG_1271354037.png

    Not looking good for an early resumption of flights.


    RoadKing
    Participant

    Heard on the news today that the last time that volcanoe had an eruption was in 18 hundred something.
    It lasted for 2 years…

    Imagine ash spewing out over Europe for two years…


    VintageKrug
    Participant

    More forecasts, this time the jetstream:

    http://www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/FREE/jetstream.asp


    VintageKrug
    Participant

    Some nice pics of the cause of all this:

    http://chris.is/

    Current BA update does not look good:

    ————
    Last updated: 21:45 15 April 2010

    Due to a plume of volcanic ash drifting over the UK, there is severe disruption to our operation today.

    Please do not go to the airport if your flight is cancelled, check the status of your flight.

    Following further information from National Air Traffic Services (NATS) about the path of the volcanic ash affecting all UK airspace and airlines, there will be cancellations and delays to our schedule on Friday April 16.

    All British Airways shorthaul flights into and out of the UK will be cancelled until at least 6pm UK local time on Friday.
    All longhaul flights due to depart from and arrive at Heathrow and Gatwick up to 1pm UK local time on Friday are also being cancelled.
    The decision to cancel has been made for safety reasons and on the direction from Air Traffic Control Service (NATS).

    You are advised to check the status of your flight before leaving for the airport.


    VintageKrug
    Participant

    Not looking good for Friday at all, with all BA shorthaul cancelled until at least 7pm:

    http://www.britishairways.com/travel/flightops/public/en_gb?p_faqid=4002

    Here is the forecast ash map as of 0245 this morning:

    http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/aviation/vaac/data/VAG_1271374304.png

    Though the weather does seem to change on Saturday with strong easterly gulf stream coming further south which should blow the ash over Scandinavia, clearing northern France and Southern Britain:

    http://www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/FREE/jetstream.asp

    Though there seems to have been less activity overnight, the respite might be brief as the eruptions continue intermittently.


    RogerVictor
    Participant

    This is yet to be confirmed but the Volcanic ash reaction cell (I wonder what they do the rest of the year) have advised that it’s likely all flight into and out of Heathrow will be cancelled until at least 0100 Saturday morning.

    Unless the airports relax the night jet ban and the airlines can staff aircraft services that is effectively a full stop until 0600 on Saturday morning.

    A 2 day cancellation, in some ways, is better for the airlines as the aircraft rotations will be in the correct order.

    What a terrible time to travel.

    Safe flying all


    LindsayW
    Participant

    Even with the latest map: url=http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/aviation…1271417376.png things are not looking good. I doubt anyone will be flying this weekend from LHR and other nearby airports.


    lloydah
    Participant

    This from BBC website:-
    My parents were supposed to fly back from Delhi to Manchester yesterday, obviously couldn’t get through – they were put up in a five-star hotel by Emirates so everyone was very happy, except that a representative from Emirates arrived at the hotel this morning to inform them that Emirates had now discharged their 24-hour duty of care to them and they were to vacate the hotel.

    “They’ve decided this isn’t good enough, so they are refusing to remove their suitcases from the bedrooms and they’re staging a sit-in.”


    TominScotland
    Participant

    Just had an e-mail from a colleague in Hong Kong. Her WBC flight with KLM has been cancelled tonight and the airline have re-booked her for………. the 24th!! They appear to be putting her into the Park Lane Hotel for the week, which is fine – I am assuming that, unlike Emirates, they are taking responsibility for this. As all other airlines will be in the same boat and the same problem will have arisen system-wide, I guess all she can do is get down to a week of serious shopping……


    TominScotland
    Participant

    If anyone is really desperate to get to the US over this weekend, Aer Lingus are operating from Dublin and have availability tomorrow, Sunday and into next week for New York. If you can walk on water and get yourself to Dublin, there’s an option which may be better than waiting for the dust to settle (literally) here.


    continentalclub
    Participant

    The following BA flights are operating this evening, with ground transportation planned for passengers to travel onward to London:

    *BA174 From New York (JFK) – Arriving in Glasgow (GLA)

    *BA176 From New York (JFK) – Arriving in Prestwick (PIK)

    *BA182 From New York (JFK) – Arriving in Glasgow (GLA)

    *BA184 From New York (EWR) – Arriving in Prestwick (PIK)

    *BA284 From San Francisco (SFO) – Arriving in Glasgow (GLA)

    *BA268 From Los Angeles (LAX) – Arriving in Prestwick (PIK)

    *BA102 From Calgary (YYC) – Arriving in Aberdeen (ABZ)

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