Just watching the news, UK grounding till at least Monday now, so no flights today as they earlier said may resume at 7pm.
Just watching the news, UK grounding till at least Monday now, so no flights today as they earlier said may resume at 7pm.
The farang detention centers are being set up at this momentOriginally Posted by daveboy
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
Anybody know WTF he is on about?Originally Posted by thegent
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..!
If only there was some higher power they could appeal to..Originally Posted by caller
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.
Black diamonds? I shit 'em.
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
Since when was that a problem to TAT ?Originally Posted by caller
^^Fok mate! They don't give a shite here. I've seen this bunch do stuff that defy s ALL logic.
No really.
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.
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
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