The Big Volcanic Ash from Iceland Thread

One question for you experts.

When the flights do start again what is the priority loading for pax?

Is it pax booked on that flight get a seat and all 'spare' seats are filled by pax from previously cancelled flights or is get all the delayed pax out first (I believe Eurostar did this earlier this year when their trains encountered 'the wrong type of snow').

In a quandry over my VS4 from JFK on Saturday - basically trying to do some 'expectation management' on Mrs and Miss S.

[Pete]

If you already have a booking for a flight that leaves once this disruption is over, you won't get overloaded in favour of someone whose own flight was cancelled. Airlines will be putting passenger effected by the disruption where there are spaces, or possibly laying on extra flights.

You seat should be ok, assuming the flight can leave JFK tomorrow.

Reading various reports on here and other sites, VS pax who have had flights cancelled are getting told there isn't a free seat until a certain date. To me, this means they are honouring original ticket dates and cancelled pax are being re-booked on the next available seat.

9 friends of mine, (all one family) were due home from MCO to LGW yesterday, 5 in econ & 4 in PE.

Virgin are currently saying that at this present moment, 2 of the PE's can fly back on 24th, 5 x econ on 25th & final 2 x PE on 26th. However, this is not set in stone. All 9 can stay in their rented villa until Monday by kind courtesy of the owner. However, Virgin are currently in the process of arranging hotel accom.

I know this info isn't of any use to anyone but it shows I have 9 friends

R-P

Another joke:

"Just went outside and got hit on the head with a lasagne and a black forrest gateux. Must be the fallout from Iceland."

I have heard that the first priority to to get pax back to their home country i.e. a pax from the USA waiting to get home will get priority over an exisiting booking for a UK pax going to the USA. I am aware that the FCO is puts pressure on UK airlines to return Britsh pax to the UK and that means off loading "visitors". Afterall it is us taxpayers that will be paying for the hotel accomodoation for UK citizens stranded overseas if the insurers don't pay up as an act of God the British Embassy/Commission or Mission will look after anyone stranded. Both VS and BA normally buy into this.

Another joke:

"Just went outside and got hit on the head with a lasagne and a black forrest gateux. Must be the fallout from Iceland."

Another joke:

"Just went outside and got hit on the head with a lasagne and a black forrest gateux. Must be the fallout from Iceland."

Could have ben worse - could have been Kerry Katona's Prawn Ring ! - not something to be sniffed at

So what happens in this situation regarding your flight?

Do you just get your money back? Does your flight get rearranged?

What happens say, if you have a reward seat booked? Do you get that rebooked, or do you get the original lower fare rebokked?

Could have ben worse - could have been Kerry Katona's Prawn Ring ! - not something to be sniffed at

That is disgusting HG but very very funny. oo)

Now, how to clean coffee off the blooming monitor. ?|

England and Wales airspace closed (still) until 07:00 Saturday

Further review at 20:30 tonight

From 19:00 restrictions lifted over Scotland so trans atlantic flights could land / take off there (assuming airports can handle them and airlines the onward trains / buses)


http://www.nats.co.uk/

Oh Newcastle may be open as well after 0100 although I don't they usually fly during the night but I miss the planes coming over the house.

Reading various reports on here and other sites, VS pax who have had flights cancelled are getting told there isn't a free seat until a certain date. To me, this means they are honouring original ticket dates and cancelled pax are being re-booked on the next available seat.

Precisely what they told me, and they popped me on the saturday VS9. Let's see if it goes or not!

[Pete]

I have heard that the first priority to to get pax back to their home country i.e. a pax from the USA waiting to get home will get priority over an exisiting booking for a UK pax going to the USA.

Are you sure about this HG? Bumping other passengers just causes more problems, and all the evidence suggest they are doing what they would normally do - rebook onto the next available flight (ie, ones that have open seats).

I am aware that the FCO is puts pressure on UK airlines to return Britsh pax to the UK and that means off loading "visitors". Afterall it is us taxpayers that will be paying for the hotel accomodoation for UK citizens stranded overseas if the insurers don't pay up as an act of God the British Embassy/Commission or Mission will look after anyone stranded. Both VS and BA normally buy into this.

It was my understanding that the local Embassy / Consulate would offer assistance in helping you get hold of extra cash from home (via your bank or a relative), but they're not about to pick up your hotel bill for an extended stay at Disney, are they? Certainly not among the consulate services they have listed on their website!

From what I've read on the VS website/FB page - all passengers holding confirmed bookings will travel on the flights that they are ticketed for. Passengers from cancelled flights will be rebooked onto flights where there are seats available.

And I also thought that all hotel costs are down to the individual holidaymaker and not the US taxpayer. I think many people are under the assumption that the various embassies will pay for accommodation when they won't.

It was my understanding that the local Embassy / Consulate would offer assistance in helping you get hold of extra cash from home (via your bank or a relative), but they're not about to pick up your hotel bill for an extended stay at Disney, are they? Certainly not among the consulate services they have listed on their website!

That's my understanding too - they will help within their capabilities (and most consulates are quite small with few staff) such as helping make phone calls etc but they won't hand over cash etc and if they do then it is most definitly a loan that will be chased on your return to Blighty.

There was a select committee report on consular services a couple of years ago that emphasised this.

We just drove home this morning after the vA check-in people said there was no chance of going today. They gave us an apology letter & said to re-book as soon as our flight was cancelled. We'd had 2 texts at 2am and 4 am changing our depart time to 17;00 and then 22;00. We got the cancellation text as we got in the house and I've rebooked to fly on Wednesday 21st (fingers crossed)and back home on the 17th May rather than the 12th. I've also re-booked villa, car-hire, escape lounge etc. I had booked direct with VA so the changes didn't cost us anything. Car-hire was £15 for re-scedule. It could be worse - I'd rather be stuck here than stuck in Orlando :0 - oh no - what am I saying
So now, I hope I'm rot doing a repeat performance on Wednesday.

Katie

[Darren Wheeler]

How long can an nations airspace be closed before it causes real problems? US airspace was closed for only 3 days after 9/11

No it wasn't.

But after 11/9 it was!

One of my staff is in Majorca, due to fly back tomorrow (sat).. Just texted to say nearest available flight will be Thursday....

Its sounding like about a week to get square again..

How long can an nations airspace be closed before it causes real problems? US airspace was closed for only 3 days after 9/11

Mother Nature will take her own sweet time to sort this out and with the volcano still doing what volcanos do it may take some time before things get sorted.

Different cicumstances in 9/11 which was 100% man made.

Please stop with the annoying 9/11 talk.

You are British, not American. Nothing happened on the 9th November, it was 11/9

I am stuck here in Canada until Wed 21st, where I have a confirmed seat, including a confirmed upgrade (go figure!)

AC were very efficient, took 13 mins to answer the phone and let me know about the waitlist they are running.

So far impressed, and it could be worse, I could be experiencing the United rebooking process.

How long can an nations airspace be closed before it causes real problems? US airspace was closed for only 3 days after 9/11

I think it will cause real problems if this goes on for say a week - there will be thousands of people displaced, unable to work, some business will be negatively affected, school children not back in class, etc. - it will start to add up in cost terms when we could probably least afford it.

However, unlike some potential events, what is there to be done. We can't just blow it away. Alternatively, I really think we should look at what constitutes safe flying and not unsafe flying - why not fly at 12,000 feet until West of the country before climbing say, on flights to the US?

Please stop with the annoying 9/11 talk.

You are British, not American. Nothing happened on the 9th November, it was 11/9

I would not dishonour my US friends who were affected by 9/11 by insisting on this petty way swipe at date naming.

If the US chooses to call it 9/11 then that's good for me, just as we might ask Americans to note certain forms of words we use.

AC were very efficient, took 13 mins to answer the phone and let me know about the waitlist they are running.

Unlike VS, who's phone system crashed this morning and the only way I could get through was to call the US Au line then wait for 70 minutes :0 .

[Darren Wheeler]

I think it will cause real problems if this goes on for say a week - there will be thousands of people displaced, unable to work, some business will be negatively affected, school children not back in class, etc. - it will start to add up in cost terms when we could probably least afford it.

However, unlike some potential events, what is there to be done. We can't just blow it away. Alternatively, I really think we should look at what constitutes safe flying and not unsafe flying - why not fly at 12,000 feet until West of the country before climbing say, on flights to the US?

Or head further south, then head out on the Blue Circle line. I see NATS are saying the restrictions should be lifted from Scotland at 19:00 today. I wonder if there is consideration to trying to get aircraft to do low-level transits to GLA, then onwards to USA destinations? Of course you do run the risk of getting out but then not being able to return.

Unlike VS, who's phone system crashed this morning and the only way I could get through was to call the US Au line then wait for 70 minutes :0 .

Your lucky - tried the US Au line and get through, then it goes'engaged' after 10 minutes.