Thread: Europes Airlines still grounded

Travel gridlock to carry on into next week

Updated 4 hours 52 minutes ago



Scientists say it is impossible to predict when the volcanic eruption in Iceland will end. (Reuters: Ingolfur Juliusson)

• Video: Iceland volcano grounds flights (7pm TV News NSW)
• Video: Airport meltdown after Iceland volcano eruption (Lateline)
• Related Story: Airlines make test flights amid wait for clear skies
• Related Story: Chaos continues as ash drifts across Europe
• Photo Gallery: Volcano erupts in Iceland

Several major airlines, including Qantas, say passengers travelling to and from Europe are likely to be stranded for several more days at least as a volcano continues to pump plumes of ash into the atmosphere.


Qantas has cancelled all of its Europe-bound flights from Sydney until next week, saying it does not expect any of them to take-off before Wednesday.


The airline is offering Australian passengers stranded in Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Kong free flights so they can return home.


Virgin Atlantic and Singapore Airlines are also not flying to Europe from Australia today.


Singapore Airlines spokeswoman Susan Bredow says passengers on the airline's flights also remain in limbo.


"Definitely no flights will be going to Europe in the next 24 hours and we will be able to update that later on today," she said.


The Federal Government has appealed to stranded Australian travellers to be patient during the gridlock.


Transport Minister Anthony Albanese says safety has to be the first priority.


"That is causing some inconvenience to Australian travellers, we understand that," he said.


"It should be put in perspective in that the inconvenience being caused to people in Europe is substantial. This is a natural event that is beyond anyone's control."


The volcanic ash from Iceland is causing greater disruption to air travel than the shutdown after the 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.


More than 20 countries have closed their airspace and nearly 17,000 European flights were cancelled yesterday.


Scientists say it is impossible to predict when the volcanic eruption in Iceland will end. Some have warned that it could last for months.


However, Dutch and German airlines have been doing test flights and say their planes appear undamaged.


If inspectors concur, they will seek permission to partially restart operations.


Analysts say European travel industry losses are climbing towards $2 billion.

http://abc.com.au/news/stories/2010/...section=justin

Originally Posted by thegent

The air traffic control authorities take precedence and no aircraft will fly without their permission. Quite how a Kraut or Dutch test at 41,000 ft relates to safety when the aircraft will have to descend through levels where the cloud exists in order to land defeats me.

Typical case of corporate interests trying to undermine the credibility of another organisation in order to protect their profits at the expense of those they are meant to serve.

Anybody know WTF he is on about?

^sausages i think.

Just to say that the A.T.C. is owned by the Airlines,if that makes any difference.

I know plenty of people stuck here and they ve started to Move from 5 star hotels and move in to cheap places in order to save money.

Some interesting stories emerging about those stranded wherever:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8626852.stm

Moscow doesn't sound good. Also read about a group of Christians in Mumbai holed up in a hotel, who have breached their transit visas but are refusing to return to the airport which they say is in a terrible state. Seems they've had their passports confiscated and not getting a lot of help? Can't find the story now though.

Whats the chances of the authorities in LOS and elsewhere taking a sensible approach to this with visa issues and the like?

Whats the chances of the authorities in LOS and elsewhere taking a sensible approach to this with visa issues and the like?


Nice one..!

Originally Posted by caller

Also read about a group of Christians in Mumbai holed up in a hotel, who have breached their transit visas but are refusing to return to the airport which they say is in a terrible state. Seems they've had their passports confiscated and not getting a lot of help?

If only there was some higher power they could appeal to..

The volcanic eruption in Europe is punishment from god for the US passing a healthcare reform bill!

Limbaugh: Volcanic ash cloud is God’s punishment for health care | Raw Story

Originally Posted by Smug Farang Bore

Whats the chances of the authorities in LOS and elsewhere taking a sensible approach to this with visa issues and the like?


Nice one..!

Well, if they do start fining folk for overstaying, the publicity should be interesting!

Originally Posted by caller

the publicity should be interesting!

Since when was that a problem to TAT ?

^^Fok mate! They don't give a shite here. I've seen this bunch do stuff that defy s ALL logic.

No really.

Originally Posted by slimdog

Originally Posted by JoeMoer

Does this affect propeller-driven aircraft, or only jets?

Remembering the tv show of the BA flight which went through a volcanic ash storm near Indonesia it would appear that it will effect both.

The BA plane looked as though it had been sand blasted on the outside, with close to no visability through the cockpit windows etc.

The jet propellers were totally caked though, and eventually stopped all 4 engines. (They did get some re-started when they cleared the immediate area) But would guess that the engines were a total write-off.

I am sure that after that episode, rules now dictate a total ban on air travel within an affected region.

One cool pilot, as i remember the plane dropped 20,000ft before he got 2 engines restarted?

Originally Posted by Beadle

Thailand will be suffering also - no European tourists arriving now or in the near future.

And bloody few in the future if they don't get their politics cleaned up permanently - hope they get it right before August , have to go back to Udon then?

Originally Posted by Bogon

This visa situation is quite serious.
Overstay at 500 baht a day plus all the extras (accommodation/food/entertainment) soon adds up.
When I'm on my way home from a 3 week holiday I have usually spunked all my spare cash on shite I don't need just to get rid of it.
Thank God they add the 500(?) baht airport tax into the ticket now. If not you would have had a loada backpackers trying to hit you up for a few quid.

It will be interesting to see if they waive the overstay for people who cannot get home. I had a friend who overstayed his 30 day visa by 11 days because he was in the hospital for 2 weeks after a motorcycle accident. When he showed his hospital receipts to Immigration at the airport, they waived the overstay charges. Probably depends on which officer you get at the airport.

There is a very interesting BBC drama/documentary called "Super Volcano" which is available on youtube.

Its mostly to do with the giant volcano underneath the Yellowstone national park and what would happen if that erupted.

On the DVD which I bought a copy of in Bangkok, there is also an experts opinion video which refers to the Icelandic eruptions back in 1783.

They say it was the gasses and the ash that caused the most damage; livestock killed and not enough food etc etc.

Thai immigration to waive overstay fee for stranded foreigners

Thai Immigration Bureau has instructed all immigration ports in Thailand to waive fee for visa overstay for foreigner stranded in Thailand with proof of the following;


* flight details shown they are due to fly on flights which are disrupted by the airspace closure (Volcano Ash)
* visa stamp in passport expired on and after 15 April 2010
* As of now, the waive will apply till 30 April 2010

-- Immigration Bureau 2010-04-19

BBC anounce UK airports remain closed until at least 1300hrs BST 20th April 2010.

I find it interesting that a few of the major airlines have announced that they have done some test flights (B.A, Air france, Austria Airlines etc) and they have stated that they encountered no complications.
Why havn't these governments flown their own military aircraft and declared their findings?
If the government said it's 100% safe to fly, then maybe I would, but if a private enterprise that is losing millions by the hour tells me it's o.k then I might have to think about it.
Financial interests and all.

Originally Posted by slackula

Originally Posted by thegent

The air traffic control authorities take precedence and no aircraft will fly without their permission. Quite how a Kraut or Dutch test at 41,000 ft relates to safety when the aircraft will have to descend through levels where the cloud exists in order to land defeats me.

Typical case of corporate interests trying to undermine the credibility of another organisation in order to protect their profits at the expense of those they are meant to serve.

Anybody know WTF he is on about?

Try reading previous posts, you idiot.

The reference by Crippen to the ATC being owned by the airlines is probably a good enough guide to the general level of stupidity that can permeate the board but then, no surprise there.

Originally Posted by slackula

Originally Posted by caller

Also read about a group of Christians in Mumbai holed up in a hotel, who have breached their transit visas but are refusing to return to the airport which they say is in a terrible state. Seems they've had their passports confiscated and not getting a lot of help?

If only there was some higher power they could appeal to..

Nice one slacky!

Does anyone know if airmail will reach the UK ?
Have any alternatives been announced, like flying mail to the nearest open airport and then by truck the rest of the way