The Big Volcanic Ash from Iceland Thread

My mate has just been given a refund from KLM for £300 and then been offered a seat on a flight on Saturday for £1200... He told them where to shove it and is now driving from Germany...

Forecast winds for the next week don't look good.

Looks like a few of us are going to be away from home for a while. If Katla joins in, I might be having words with US immigration!

while its fine for us international idiots who live in airplanes and possible (possibly only myself) welcome the imposed downtime as i checked my insurance policy and there is a good chance of hitting some holiday inn points with their money, but my poor friend who lives a normal life is looking at her 10 day holiday being completely screwed

[Darren Wheeler]

The effects we see now are the short-term ones. Long-term, all it may need is a change of routing for trans-atlantic flights that track further south.

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And then there were none....

ok - now I wished I had listened to that inner voice saying I should have got a through ticket.

I am in sunny Orlando at the moment, but fly up to JFK on Saturday on JetBlue to connect onto VS4. Booked separately.

I obviously have to make the first leg so could be stuck in NY with just my shorts an T Shirt. Would rather be stuck in Orlando.

Mrs S not happy - but I am thinking 'glass half full' as I may be able to get a couple of days in NY. I am in no rush to get back.

I assume that I would be able to get the hotel costs from my travel insurance? If so, even better.

Not good. Was due to fly home to London, VS22 tomorrow evening (Fri). Canx. Rang VS, 30 minute hold, earliest available seat is on next Wednesday's VS22. Yikes.

Fortunately I have the cash and wherewithal to stay out here that long, but this is going to get very nasty very fast if more flights get cancelled. Call centre folks doing a very good job and trying to get everyone sorted as quickly as possible though.

Some beautiful pictures of the sunsets tonight...

So, airspace shut down until 1900 tonight, and not a single VS plane in the air. This is not going to be a fun day in the office, I wish we had a slow boat we could put everyone on.

Goo luck to everyone who is supposed to be flying over the next few days, my heart goes out to you all. Ed

The effects we see now are the short-term ones. Long-term, all it may need is a change of routing for trans-atlantic flights that track further south.

I wondered that, but there seems to be no mention of that anywhere....

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ah, but Icelands airport is still open

[b]how many people just collapsed at the fact Blackpool has an airport?

we are supposed to be going to jersey in aug from blackpool

Perhaps it's a good opportunity to do all those little jobs that keep getting put off until the next check? Proper cleaning etc?

Not going to get a chance like this for a while.

You would hope so....
Stress and misery for many n( , however this opportunity to get a "spring clean" would be daft to miss..

I've just been looking at the list of cancelled flights on the VS site. Orlando is mentioned, but not Miami (VS005. Anyone have any idea why? The list seems fairly comprehensive otherwise....

I assume that I would be able to get the hotel costs from my travel insurance? If so, even better.

Don't assume anything - and that applies to getting a hotel room let alone insurance paying it!

These are unprecidented circumstances and the 'Act Of God' clauses are being used left, right and centre.

Someone emailed the BBC tp say that letters were being handed round at some (continental) airports basically saying 'extraordinary circumstances' so no compensation.

Perhaps it's a good opportunity to do all those little jobs that keep getting put off until the next check? Proper cleaning etc?

Not going to get a chance like this for a while.

Yes and the airports could do the same but probbaly hard to suddenly get in lots of extra staff but I would hope they would do what they could !

SKY reporting from NATS that restrictons on ENGLISH airspace to remain until 01:00 Saturday Morning.

Transtlantic flights to Scotland and Northern Irelend OK (at the moment) but they were reffering to ones scheduled to land there anyway - so not a way of getting people home early

*U.K. AIRSPACE RESTRICTED UNTIL 01:00 ON 17 APRIL, NATS SAYS
just on bloomberg

theres a flight gone up over scotland , currently tracking over northen ireland,

[Neil]

I've just been looking at the list of cancelled flights on the VS site. Orlando is mentioned, but not Miami (VS005. Anyone have any idea why? The list seems fairly comprehensive otherwise....

Yes, interesting.

According to the V-Flyer data feed, the VS005 to MIA is showing as having a 19:50 departure time ex LHR. I *imagine* VS were maybe planning on operating this flight if they airspace opened up, although latest reports would now assume that this flight will also be cancelled.

There's a slight whiff of sulpher in the air here at Manchester not too noticeable though. Not that I stuck my head outside to have a smell or anything though..!

hollie

Atr Transat flight to Toronto as there is a 'window' in the ash

[Pete]

Topic renamed, as it's now no longer 'potential', or indeed just one day

Hmmm, UK lines to VS seem to have overloaded, had to ring the US number and now holding for 16 minutes to make a booking / change. I'm guessing VS is a little overburdened at the moment!

These are unprecidented circumstances and the 'Act Of God' clauses are being used left, right and centre.

Someone emailed the BBC tp say that letters were being handed round at some (continental) airports basically saying 'extraordinary circumstances' so no compensation.

EZY are refunding / transferring flights.

Paul