Icelandic volcano ash plume disrupts EMS & SAL deliveries to Europe

[Nozomi]

Well I just had to post this. The media is just reporting about stranded passengers. They have no idea of how much suffering it can be if you know the delivey would have been today if not for that stupid volcano....  :angry5:

[bill937ca]

HWJ:

 

"ATTENTION:

Delivery cancellation/delay may have occurred to European Countries due to Iceland's volcanic ash cloud. Japan Post will accept parcels to Europe, but it will be held at international post office in Japan until flights available. Thank you very much for your cooperation."

[Kabutoni]

Tonight there will be a test flight over the Netherlands. Airspace in the mid-west of Europe will probably be open again in a few days.

[Darren Jeffries]

Currently nothing is moving in the UK until 1pm UK time on sunday at least... this is being reviewed at 3am Sunday.

[westfalen]

Forget your trains, I hope the thing stops erupting so I can go on my trip to Germany and the UK on the 28th.

[to2leo]

First the financial mess now the volcanic mess.  Iceland is certainly a small country with a big punch to EU.

[Guest ___]

I love iceland, it was one of my best trips ever. However, I do recall I was living in Scotland back in 2000, and my flight back to DC was via Icelandair when they had a smaller eruption that disrupted the flight paths. Personally, I do not see why flights from Japan to the UK would be disrupted. I understand the jet stream and the traffic patterns, but don't see why the UK can't be accessed from the south. I understand it is a long course, one would think it would be better than losing access altogether.

[Darren Jeffries]

but don't see why the UK can't be accessed from the south. I understand it is a long course, one would think it would be better than losing access altogether.

 

I think, because the entire UK is blanketed in ash... there is no clear airspace. As of yesterday there were a few flights leaving and arriving at Glasgow and Belfast, but anything south of that has been completely grounded for days now. Aside from the busiest airport in the world, Heathrow, England is also home to all manner of military bases, including one US air base. The red arrows are grounded and wont be taking off for the start of display season, RAF Lyneham is not accessible which is where our military dead are brought back to from Afghanistan, and Brize Norton, one of the main Air Bases of the RAF is grounded also.

 

It really is playing havoc. Westfalen, my fingers are crossed for your trip

[Kabutoni]

I think, because the entire UK is blanketed in ash... there is no clear airspace.

 

It's not really the point of not having a clear sight. Most planes don't have a problem with that (apart from certain Tupolev models (sic)), but it's more the case of that you really don't want to have these 'ash' particles in your jet-engine. These particles are mostly tiny pieces of glass that melt and clutter the jets. Chaos ensues.

[westfalen]

but don't see why the UK can't be accessed from the south. I understand it is a long course, one would think it would be better than losing access altogether.

 

I think, because the entire UK is blanketed in ash... there is no clear airspace. As of yesterday there were a few flights leaving and arriving at Glasgow and Belfast, but anything south of that has been completely grounded for days now. Aside from the busiest airport in the world, Heathrow, England is also home to all manner of military bases, including one US air base. The red arrows are grounded and wont be taking off for the start of display season, RAF Lyneham is not accessible which is where our military dead are brought back to from Afghanistan, and Brize Norton, one of the main Air Bases of the RAF is grounded also.

 

It really is playing havoc. Westfalen, my fingers are crossed for your trip

This website has a map showing the coverage of the ash cloud.

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/corporate/pressoffice/2010/volcano.html

 

I'm flying over on a Qantas plane, they can't fly because the ash would blow in through the cracks in the windshield.

 

Seriously if this goes on for too long the world might start to realise how much it relies on air travel.

[to2leo]

This is a good reminder how powerful earth is.  If we have a few more eruptions in the world together, it will be total chaos.  I believe EU's climate has already been affected with the ash fallout?

[Darren Jeffries]

This is a good reminder how powerful earth is.  If we have a few more eruptions in the world together, it will be total chaos.  I believe EU's climate has already been affected with the ash fallout?

 

It is very warm and dry, not like normal april weather, thats for sure.

[Guest ___]

I want to say it was SAS that ran test planes today against the EU's recommendation and had no problems.

 

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2010-04-16-volcano-flight-disruptions-worse_N.htm

[Kabutoni]

There are some signs that the little brother is going to wake the bigger brother. If that happens, airspace above all of Europe is pretty much f•cked. Not to mention possible climate changes.

 

Also, it's warm and dry, but it was already that way it was before the eruption. I haven't noticed any difference, apart from hay-feverishness.

[westfalen]

Oh to have an old DC6 droning along at a few thousand feet and not much faster than a Shinkansen. I think mother nature is giving us a preview of what will happen when oil runs out or gets too scarce to use in extravagant things like jet airliners.

[Guest ___]

I think mother nature is giving us a preview of what will happen when oil runs out or gets too scarce to use in extravagant things like jet airliners.

 

Volcanic events are not meteorological events but are geological. Human interaction with global climate change does not affect the movements of tectonic plates, or volcanic activity. Granted geological events can impact meteorological events, things such as "jetliners" do not cause geological events like volcano eruptions from occurring.  (sorry, meteorology was my minor nearly twenty years ago.)

[westfalen]

I think mother nature is giving us a preview of what will happen when oil runs out or gets too scarce to use in extravagant things like jet airliners.

 

Volcanic events are not meteorological events but are geological. Human interaction with global climate change does not affect the movements of tectonic plates, or volcanic activity. Granted geological events can impact meteorological events, things such as "jetliners" do not cause geological events like volcano eruptions from occurring.  (sorry, meteorology was my minor nearly twenty years ago.)

I realise the difference, just saying we are getting a taste of what the world would be like without air travel.

[to2leo]

It's interesting you bought up a fossil fuel free society.  If anyone is interested, take a look at Nat Geo's Aftermath series on a world without oil.

A world with much less travel but the benefits might out weight the inconvenience.

 

By the way, Earth Day is coming in 3 days!

[bikkuri bahn]

Apparently 12000 Japanese tourists (the figure for tour groups, not counting independent travelers) are stranded in Europe now.  One couple had to go way south to Malta, then fly to Dubai and back to Japan.

 

It's interesting you bought up a fossil fuel free society.  If anyone is interesting, take a look at Nat Geo's Aftermath series on a world without oil.

A world with much less travel but the benefits might out weight the inconvenience.

 

Hmm, less foreign travel.  Make sure you settle in a country with a good railway system.  I think I'll stay put :happy11:

[Darren Jeffries]

There are some signs that the little brother is going to wake the bigger brother. If that happens, airspace above all of Europe is pretty much f•cked. Not to mention possible climate changes.

 

Also, it's warm and dry, but it was already that way it was before the eruption. I haven't noticed any difference, apart from hay-feverishness.

 

Actually, its been erupting for 2 months. The only thing thats different recently is that a second eruption blew through the side of the mountain and vaporised a ice cap.

[Kabutoni]

Actually, its been erupting for 2 months. The only thing thats different recently is that a second eruption blew through the side of the mountain and vaporised a ice cap.

 

Ah, well... :P That could explain the weather here. 20 Degrees Celsius at daytime and near zero in the night. Crazy crazy weather.