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Title: Volcanic Ash? Post by: gee4 on April 15, 2010, 08:21:28 am "Following advice from the Met Office, the National Air Traffic Service (NATS) has introduced restrictions to UK airspace this morning as a result of volcanic ash drifting across the UK from Iceland. These measures currently affect Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow airports which are closed but may also affect other parts of the UK later today. Passengers intending to fly today are asked to contact their airline for further information and should expect disruption in the coming hours."
"A NATS spokesman said: "The Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre has issued a forecast that the ash cloud from the volcanic eruption in Iceland will track over Europe tonight." Update...10.00am "Due to the weather conditions, a plume of volcanic ash has now spread southwards towards northern Europe and is severely affecting all airlines' flight activity in the area. For safety reasons and on the direction from Air Traffic Control Service (Nats) a decision has been made to cancel a number of flights and close all London airports." Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: gee4 on April 15, 2010, 10:49:30 am Nightmare of a morning....people stuck in Paris, Eurostar full, booking ferries.
I hear there is to be a beautiful sunset... :) Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: peaches2160 on April 16, 2010, 02:48:01 am Flights from the US have been cancelled to Manchester, London and Ireland to name a few of the cities I heard on the news. They are afraid it will get sucked into the engines of the planes.
Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: Cozwaz on April 16, 2010, 12:29:17 pm My boss and his family have gone skiing in Europe this week and are travelling back this weekend - just as well they are driving, mind you I don't envy them as the Tunnel will be pretty busy!
Apparently where I live the ash could be brought down on Sunday by the light rain we are expecting. They are now saying all planes are grounded till Saturady BBC News - Iceland volcano: UK flights grounded for second day (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8623806.stm#id8620000/8624600/8624699) Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: gee4 on April 16, 2010, 09:38:04 pm My sister's boss was due to fly home from Spain yesterday, now stranded and told he couldn't get a flight for 2 weeks!
He has managed to get a ticket to fly home Monday evening, but that's only if the flight gets approval to take off. Coz you are right, apparently if it rains the situation could become worse. Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: officepa on April 16, 2010, 10:35:18 pm Our department at work has about 11 staff members in various countries abroad all affected by this - however, heard from them all today and all are very happy to extend their stay in their hotels....................
Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: movinonup on April 18, 2010, 12:40:17 pm Our American management team was in Stuttgart for meetings last week, and all of their return flights were cancelled. We may have trouble extending their room stays, due to the situation. It is fortunate they can all work from their computers, but their families must miss them. I would have been looking into traveling eastward as soon as I heard the news...a trip around the world on the company tab. ;)
Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: gee4 on April 18, 2010, 08:08:23 pm All my stranded passengers got home safely.....3 in Paris drove to Le Havre, got a ferry to Portsmouth, stayed overnight, got a car the next day, drove to Holyhead and took a ferry to Dublin....the others who were already in England, drove to Cairnryan and took a ferry to Larne.
I was pleased everything went smoothly as I was permanently on the phone booking hotels, hiring cars whilst on the internet booking ferries. I doubt I will be making any travel arrangements this week so it may be a quie one, fingers crossed! Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: peaches2160 on April 19, 2010, 12:17:33 am Glad all are home again. I went through the same thing a few months ago with Boss stranded in the NE US during the blizzard. Was able to get him in a hotel for the 3 - day extended stay until flights cleared. He just made it into his home city in the south when the snow started falling here. It was a crazy week:)
Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: gee4 on April 19, 2010, 08:48:00 am Well, I came into work this morning to a thank you card and flowers, very nice surprise. :)
We still have people stranded in Peru, Abu Dhabi and Turkey so I guess they will have to sit tight. Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: JessW on April 19, 2010, 12:53:45 pm Gee,
Glad they said thank you to you. It took my poor dad 4 days to travel from Limerick to home in Yorkshire (usually would take about 2.5hrs), having to get a train to Dublin, book on 2 flights and 1 ferry, no flights going so ferry, which broke down, got later ferry and then 20miles to nearest hotel before travelling across entire Wales then round the houses (engineering works, thank you!) to get home! Mind you, he is a very sprightly 78 year old! Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: gee4 on April 19, 2010, 01:22:17 pm Aw bless, thankfully he was ok. I've not stopped all morning, booking ferries to and from Ireland. I thought everyone would have just sat it out this week but obviously business goes on.
I see the Navy are being drafted in to help return stranded Brits abroad - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8628878.stm Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: JessW on April 20, 2010, 10:18:55 am :D
Everyone, all together ... All the nice girls love a sailor, all the nice girls love a tarr! Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: peaches2160 on April 21, 2010, 10:25:13 am A colleague of mine is stranded in Europe. Trying to get back to the US. Was supposed to return from vacation on Sat. Not sure when she will be stateside again. From news reports, things are starting to pick up though.
Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: gee4 on April 22, 2010, 09:18:24 am My company has been fairly generous allowing stranded employees an extra 3 days' leave in order to get home.
Anything after 21 April must be taken out of their holiday entitlement or classed as unpaid leave. Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: gee4 on May 04, 2010, 11:32:10 am Not again?!?!
Another hectic morning cancelling flights, hotel and car hire.....zzzzz! Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: officepa on May 04, 2010, 11:40:41 am Keep ash in Ireland - don't want it in England!
Bossie en route to airport to catch flight - but all airports open here when I last checked, so OK - for now. Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: gee4 on May 17, 2010, 11:07:45 am What's the chances of getting Iceland moved.......permanently?!
(and I don't mean the frozen food chain!) ::) Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: JessW on May 18, 2010, 12:12:57 pm I say Gee, careful old bean! Don't you know your geography? We (the UK) are getting closer to Iceland (in lay terms). As I understand such things, the UK have been trying to get away from the rest of Europe for a long time now! :D :o ::)
Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: gee4 on May 18, 2010, 12:17:06 pm Ha ha :D
Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: gee4 on May 24, 2011, 07:55:30 am If the ash cloud hits the UK again this week, the only advantage is, I WON'T have to book travel! :D
Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: JessW on May 24, 2011, 09:32:11 am ;D yet again, perfect timing for a bank holiday - now that is why mums go to Iceland! :D
Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: gee4 on May 24, 2011, 09:54:08 am Jess,
I also go on hols in less than 3 weeks....typical! Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: JessW on May 25, 2011, 11:55:36 am HELP - I HAVE COMPLETELY LOST JUNE (on my desk calendar!) AND I REALLY NEED IT so I can tell when I am on holiday!
I know where July is, and May but no sign of June! :'( Guess I will have to look it up the old-fashioned way on my computer - Cool, I am off on holiday on 4 weeks! 10 working days away from the zoo and it covers 1 whole week and 2 half weeks on either side - Do your own bills suckers! ;D Going (or rather not going) anywhere nice Gee? I bags the South of France! 8) Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: gee4 on May 25, 2011, 01:29:03 pm Southern Spain....praying for no earthquakes or ash cloud!!!
Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: JessW on May 25, 2011, 02:30:17 pm Will also keep my fingers crossed for you re strikes and revolution (the troubles they recently had over the elections etc!) :o
Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: gee4 on May 25, 2011, 02:47:23 pm Will also keep my fingers crossed for you re strikes and revolution (the troubles they recently had over the elections etc!) :o ?? Huh ?? Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: JessW on May 25, 2011, 05:09:36 pm Gee, knowing our luck something else is bound to happen. For myself, I am hoping the french farmers don't start throwing dead livestock and barricading ports etc!
(There, now I have said it is bound not to happen - Phew! :-X) Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: gee4 on May 25, 2011, 06:14:47 pm Sorry didn't understand the last bit.
Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: JessW on May 26, 2011, 10:59:15 am You know, like when you say "this is the winning lottery ticket" and you lose!?!
Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: gee4 on May 26, 2011, 11:51:12 am What did you mean "troubles they recently had over the elections "...???
Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: JessW on May 26, 2011, 05:26:11 pm Protests in the streets!?
Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: gee4 on May 26, 2011, 06:24:02 pm In Spain?
Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: duque on May 27, 2011, 12:11:14 pm :D Yeah I don't think you got much in the news about it over there!!!
Protests started in Spain on 15 May with young people, disgusted with the current political and financial climate over here (5 M people unemployed, increasing corruption among politicians, worsening labour reforms, etc), taking over the main squares y many Spanish cities to protest. Our municipal and autonomous ellections took place on the 22nd, with the conservative party beating the socialist party. General ellections are next year, so they have a year to prove what they can do to get us out of this crisis. The protests have been totally peacefull until today when the Police in Barcelona, with the excuse of the celebrations expected tomorrow if Barcelona FC wins the Champions League, have barged in kicking all the protestors out of the square. So far there has been 46 injured. Don't worry Gee, the protests will not interfere with you holidays at all! :D Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: JessW on May 27, 2011, 01:32:36 pm Duque
I was watching it all on Al-Jazeera, France 24 and TV5 (thank you Sky for doing something right!). I love Spain and the people (in all the places I went to) were always kind to me - the crazy English girl is how they looked at me, but they knew I was harmless and polite! Mind you, if Spain gets out of the pickle they are in, then there has to be hope for the rest of us! :D Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: duque on May 27, 2011, 02:35:35 pm ;D
I wish someone would get us out of this mess ... not likely though >:( Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: gee4 on May 30, 2011, 11:02:05 am No didn't hear/see any of that...thankfully!
Title: Re: Volcanic Ash? Post by: gee4 on June 19, 2011, 05:59:50 pm Well...no ash cloud or earthquakes, just 40 degrees of sun...sizzling!! 8)
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