Grimsvotn volcano erupts in Iceland

-Ad- · 24 May 2011 at 11:06

Jokester said:
Most flights today seem to be cancelled. I'm due to fly south tomorrow, not sure it's going to happen now!

Apparently re-opening sometime this afternoon, but who knows.eek

It seems easyjet will allow moving the flight to another day or a refund. Success, in a way. Driving or train up seems like a fun 10hour+ journey :eek:

gizmoy2k · 24 May 2011 at 11:43

Ryanair flies through a high concentration cloud and says its planes ok!

I really do think they just make this up as they go along on http://www.flightradar24.com/ flight ICE774 from iceland has just flown all the way down the middle of Scotland, and many trans-atlantic flights continue to fly over Scotland and Ireland

BAW9271 seems to be out doing some testing, flying in circles near Aberdeen, left from Heathrow

MrBoring · 24 May 2011 at 12:00

gizmoy2k said:
Ryanair flies through a high concentration cloud and says its planes ok!

I really do think they just make this up as they go along on http://www.flightradar24.com/ flight ICE774 from iceland has just flown all the way down the middle of Scotland, and many trans-atlantic flights continue to fly over Scotland and Ireland

BAW9271 seems to be out doing some testing, flying in circles near Aberdeen, left from Heathrow

... and check out Aeroflot AFL322 which appears to have flown right through the high concentration area ... ???

Ben Cole · 24 May 2011 at 12:08

Problems are at ground to FL200, cruising levels for jets shouldn't be effected today.

That's what was said at our meeting yesterday anyway.

[TW]Fox · 24 May 2011 at 12:09

-Ad- said:
It seems easyjet will allow moving the flight to another day or a refund. Success, in a way. Driving or train up seems like a fun 10hour+ journey

10+ hours? I somehow doubt that.

gizmoy2k · 24 May 2011 at 12:10

Sky just interviewed O'Leary from Ryanair

He says the ash cloud is mythical and based on pure speculation from the met office charts, the engine and air frame manufacturers have said there would be no issues at these levels and that the CAA has gone back on it agreement to let airlines make the decisions

nands · 24 May 2011 at 12:11

MrBoring said:
... and check out Aeroflot AFL322 which appears to have flown right through the high concentration area ... ???

Aeroflot must comply with safety regulations?

I think that they are above it, meaning literally not figuratively.

[TW]Fox · 24 May 2011 at 12:12

nands said:
Aeroflot must comply with safety regulations? I think that they are above it, meaning literally not figuratively.

Yea, it's a Los Angeles to Moscow flight so will be at 37,000+ feet.

Ben Cole · 24 May 2011 at 12:13

gizmoy2k said:
Sky just interviewed O'Leary from Ryanair

He says the ash cloud is mythical and based on pure speculation from the met office charts, the engine and air frame manufacturers have said there would be no issues at these levels and that the CAA has gone back on it agreement to let airlines make the decisions

That's just not true. As was agreed after last time there has to be certification from the engine manufacturers in order to fly in a Volcanic ash temporary danger area...which Ryanair DOES NOT HAVE!

Not my words...words of General Manager of London Terminal control.

Nerusy · 24 May 2011 at 12:15

MrBoring said:
... and check out Aeroflot AFL322 which appears to have flown right through the high concentration area ... ???

ROFL does sound like something those crazy Russians would do.

LeftfieldTilt · 24 May 2011 at 12:15

MrBoring said:
... and check out Aeroflot AFL322 which appears to have flown right through the high concentration area ... ???

Flying at 37000 ft which is pretty much clear according to this

gizmoy2k · 24 May 2011 at 12:31

So according to http://www.flightradar24.com/ now Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Dublin and no doubt some others should be cancelling flights also

philstanbridge · 24 May 2011 at 12:34

gizmoy2k said:
So according to http://www.flightradar24.com/ now Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Dublin and no doubt some others should be cancelling flights also

My mate was due out of Newcastle today and his flight has been cancelled. We are due to fly from Glasgow to Rhodes tomorrow and it isn't looking very good

gizmoy2k · 24 May 2011 at 12:41

I just get the feeling when they say "it wont be a blanket shutdown like last time" what they really mean is " there's no way this will close Heathrow again"

Eatchipz · 24 May 2011 at 12:46

I alreday have my back up plan to get to the Champions League final via Boats and Trains. About 12 hours each way though

XeNoN89 · 24 May 2011 at 12:56

Lots of people are getting confused and not understanding flight levels

These planes which look to be flying through the ash are infact flying over it.

MrBoring · 24 May 2011 at 13:30

Well BAW9271 appears to have finished its test flight over Abredeen - doing at least 8 full circuits @ 28,000 feet - and seems to be on its way back to Heathrow or maybe Edinburgh ...? I wonder how long it will be before we get a statement from BA?

I do remember Willie Walsh taking a plane up last year and coming back pronouncing that all was safe.

Bradmax57 · 24 May 2011 at 13:47

philstanbridge said:
My mate was due out of Newcastle today and his flight has been cancelled. We are due to fly from Glasgow to Rhodes tomorrow and it isn't looking very good

that'll be then

flights now tomorrow morning from Gatwick....... by the time that comes around we'll be stuck down there

gizmoy2k · 24 May 2011 at 13:53

MrBoring said:
Well BAW9271 appears to have finished its test flight over Abredeen - doing at least 8 full circuits @ 28,000 feet - and seems to be on its way back to Heathrow or maybe Edinburgh ...? I wonder how long it will be before we get a statement from BA?

I do remember Willie Walsh taking a plane up last year and coming back pronouncing that all was safe.

Looks like its going to Manchester now, as you say i wonder how long or if it even comes out that this flight took place

Check out RYR03P I think Ryanair want to push this issue some more

MrBoring · 24 May 2011 at 14:38

Interesting that there has been plenty of activity at the Irish airports all morning whilst the Scottish ones have been closed, in what appears to be identical conditions? ie according to the coverage of the 'ash cloud' given on Flightradar24.com. Ok, that chart may not be definitive but there does seem to be a lack of consistency about all of this and that is what leads to a lot of the discontent and mistrust surely?