UK Airspace Ban Extended To 1pm Sunday

[brooklynite]

Source: Sky News

A restriction on flights in and out of the UK has been extended until at least 1pm Sunday due to the volcano ash cloud drifting from Iceland.

Forecasters said there is no sign that a change in wind direction will clear British airspace of the cloud of ash.

The National Air Traffic Service said airlines would continue to be subject to restrictions for as long as ash billows into UK airspace.

And Britain's air travel nightmare shows no signs of ending as meteorologists said the wind could keep the ash cloud over Europe for up to five days.

Read more: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Volcano-Ash-Travel-Chaos-UK-Airspace-Closed-Till-1pm-Sunday-As-Most-Of-Europe-Becomes-No-Fly-Zone/Article/201004315606346?lpos=UK_News_Carousel_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15606346_Volcano_Ash_Travel_Chaos%3A_UK_Airs

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[dflprincess]

1. There is a group of fifth graders from France who have been stranded in Minneapolis because of this

http://www.startribune.com/local/west/91137394.html?elr=KArksUUUoDEy3LGDiO7aiU

They were in the states for a 12 day trip to a school in Portland, OR. The article doesn't explain how they came to be stranded here but fortunately there is a French immersion school that has been able to help look out for them.

My niece and I were at the Minnesota Zoo today and these kids were also there. I was speaking to one of their chaparones who told me the zoo had heard of their plight and arranged the visit for the kids. He also told me they don't expect to get out of here before Thursday. The kids do okay when they're busy, but they are getting homesick - and I would expect their parents are getting awfully anxious.

[uppityperson]

2. Group from Bayeaux is stranded in New York. Good luck to them all, hoping they get home safely.

[dipsydoodle]

3. Now extended to 1am Monday

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8627545.stm

The issue isn't helped by the fact there are no weather fronts coming in to help clear it. Daytime sky here, c. 14 miles NW of central London remains clear cloudless blue.

[Cal Carpenter]

4. I understand why they are extending it incrementally like that

But does anyone have a handle about when it will pass? I am so so clueless about ash clouds, heh. 'Many more days' (from your link) sounds so ominous.

I have a good friend who is in London and schedule to fly back to the states on Thursday. I wonder if he'll get out on time.

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. It all depends on how long the volcano keeps erupting

and no-one can predict that. The weather isn't helping at the moment - there's a gentle wind blowing to the south east from Iceland, which directs it to Europe but isn't strong enough to disperse the ash to a low enough concentration at which it'd be harmless.

Some European airlines are sending up test flights, and murmuring about the aviation authorities being too cautious: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8628034.stm

[brooklynite]

6. Airlines are also testing safety of flying through the ash cloud

...in anticipation that the cloud won't recede anytime soon.

[pitohui]

7. klm and lufhansa have reported successful tests

if their reports are accepted, this should open two huge hubs to air traffic, AMS (amsterdam) and FRA (frankfurt), i think FRA is the biggest hub in europe, and AMS is also ginormous

if uk still refuses to allow flights, people will have to train/chunnel/ferry or however else they get to mainland europe and then try one of these

flights will still be stacked up/backed up/overbooked after the cloud has passed, i have notes from several flyers saying that they have booked multiple tickets on multiple flights so they can take whatever comes open and cancels the rest -- you can only do this if your job is paying, since refundable tickets that can be cxl'd are really expensive compared to normal tix

this will be disrupting operations for a few days more yet, so hang tight everyone, and if you're stranded, try to enjoy wherever you are for a little bit more

[fedsron2us]

9. The effects of volcanic ash on turbojets is pretty well documented

and all the evidence shows that modern high performance engines such as found on Boeing 777 and Air Buses have a pretty low tolerance to ingesting this type of gunk. Anyone who doubts what the potential outcome could be need only look at the at the pictures of what happened to some Finnish air force F-18s that had a passing brush with the Icelandic ash cloud

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/04/16/340727/pictures-finnish-f-18-engine-check-reveals-effects-of-volcanic.html

Like late Cretaceous dinosaurs most of the airlines are already living on borrowed time. The recession and high fuel costs have made much of the business uneconomic. It is only a question of time that an extinction event wipes most of them out. The current eruptions in Iceland may be just such a scenario particularly as seems likely the disruption may continue on and off for months.

The airlines appear to want to gamble the lives of their staff, their passengers and those on the ground just so they can limp on to inevitable bankruptcy. Personally I do not want tons of metal dropping on my house just so Willie Walsh can keep his bonus.

[brooklynite]

8. There are currently five planes flying over Germany.....

http://www.flightradar24.com/

More Lufthansa test flights?