Volcanoes?

[Hannoir]

Unless I have missed something - v surprised there hasn't been a topic on the current no fly zone and the volcano eruption!

Anyone else been affected by this? I am meant to be in New York right now - flight was due to leave Birmingham yesterday morning, but everything was cancelled. They tried to rebook me onto one today but I just ended up getting a refund. Am totally gutted to not be going though.

Can't believe it could last for days yet. More serious than 9/11. Wow.

[sejintenej]

Unless I have missed something - v surprised there hasn't been a topic on the current no fly zone and the volcano eruption!

Anyone else been affected by this? I am meant to be in New York right now - flight was due to leave Birmingham yesterday morning, but everything was cancelled. .

My daughter and family are trying to get back from Pisa, Italy. They should get to Calais today and we are ready to collect them and take them to Yorkshire. That means we may have to postpone our already-postponed crossing to France due Tuesday. There's 5 of them, otherwise I would take car over to get them using existing booking.

Eldest Gd-daughter is in middle of GCSE's but I don't know when next exam is.

Not sure if it is connected but my asthma started playing up last night; not using reliever - y e t.

Incredible sunrise today - the light was a really beautiful gold colour. At least visibility is better than yesterday.

[Jo]

DBTS has posted on Facebook that he and his family are stuck in Venice. I suppose there are worse places to be stuck, but he is keen to get home.

Hannoir, you are very lucky to have got a refund. I have heard that the insurance industry is classing this as an "act of god" rather than "extreme weather" to avoid paying out.

[sejintenej]

DBTS has posted on Facebook that he and his family are stuck in Venice. I suppose there are worse places to be stuck, but he is keen to get home.

Hannoir, you are very lucky to have got a refund. I have heard that the insurance industry is classing this as an "act of god" rather than "extreme weather" to avoid paying out.

EU Law. If the booked flight doesn't take off for any reason the airline must either
a) rebook you and if necessary supply you with reasonable food and drink and hotel until the new date OR
b) refund the fare.

Until now only tested overnight so multiple nights comes into unknown territory. Reports that at least one continental airline cannot cope.

[Hannoir]

Yeah - I was lucky I think. Was meant to be flying with Continental who are a US airline so not sure if they are obliged to? But their call centre staff were really helpful, we tried to reschedule the flights but because there was such as short timescale for me going there was nothing to be booked onto. So they offered me a refund.

Sejintenej (is that right?!) good luck with collected the family. I guess with being stuck in Europe there are ways - albeit limited and booked - to get back, but if you are further afield it is much harder!

[mvgrogan]

Mum's stuck here in Finland with us and probably won't make it back for OB Day. Not actually booked a flight yet - waiting for the airports to reopen and the backlog to clear!

I am an Usborne Lady and last year's sales incentive was a trip to Hong Kong... the ladies who won managed to leave the UK but before they landed in HK the european airports had closed, so they are stuck in HK...shame, eh? Sounds like they are having fun, though. On the other hand, my book deliveries are sure to be affected...grrr.

I also have various friends stuck around europe - Scotland & Prague - and the Finnish President had to travel back from Denmark via land & sea...

Oh and Mrs Clinton was due to arrive in Helsinki (on her way to a NATO meeting) on Tuesday....

I understand that the volcano that erupted is the "little brother" of one that has been due to erupt for a while.... sorry to alarm you

I also heard that there's a flight available from Blackpool to the Isle of Man - any use to anyone??

[jhopgood]

Ever since I walked up the Pacayas volcano in Guatemala in 1971, I have been fascinated with volcanoes, their power and virtual unpredictability. I went up Pacayas in 1991 to discover that the whole landscape had changed, the valley had been filled, the original cone was no more, and it was still grumbling to itself. The hot grit ruined the soles of my old shoes on the second trip so that I came down virtually in my socks. It is very destructive and I can understand the damage it can do to turbines etc.
The wind is a major factor and my wife tells me that when Irazu in Costa Rica erupted in the 60's, the ashes fell on the capital, San Jose, rather than Cartago, which is only 30km from the summit.
My son was in Oman when the trouble started and they managed to get to Stockholm but then there were no flights up north to Lulea. The 10,000 cars that Hertz have in Sweden were booked, and there was no space on trains or buses. They could only rent cars locally, for return locally. They contacted some people in Lulea who wanted to get to Stockholm, each rented a mini van and they swapped vans at a half way point. 4 drivers, over 10 hours driving.
We have a ferry to the UK on Wednesday to go to our grandson's baptism in White City on May 2nd. At the moment, the grandson is in the West of Ireland, one godparent is in Lulea and another in the Caribbean. We'll be there but will they?

[Hannoir]

Fingers crossed that everyone can make it for the christening!

yeah I heard about that other volcano too - am wondering if it is worth booking flights this summer and relying on Eurostar instead?! Not good considering where I want to go though.

There will also be lots of kids not making it into school tomorrow - and teachers too. My mum's headteacher is stuck somewhere in Spain - booked onto a flight tomorrow night but that is looking unlikely now as well.

[anniexf]

As someone who lives under the flightpath for Birmingham International, I have to say it has been remarkably peaceful in our garden for days!

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

Now we have yet another thing, with which to blame, Iceland----------

The Cod War (You are too young to remember !) The Bank (They have voted NOT to repay !) and now their spectacular Volcano !!!

We can all have a good moan about yet another thing, about which we can do nothing !

At least we have (In the South) Lovely Blue Skies --- with no Vapour Trails !!

(Always look on the bright side of Life --- tra la-- tra la -tra la )

[jhopgood]

DBTS has posted on Facebook that he and his family are stuck in Venice. I suppose there are worse places to be stuck, but he is keen to get home.

Hannoir, you are very lucky to have got a refund. I have heard that the insurance industry is classing this as an "act of god" rather than "extreme weather" to avoid paying out.

The expression "Act of God" has always bemused me, as I cannot believe that God gets up one morning and says" Right you lot, time for a bit of suffering".

I would vote for changing the expression to "Act of Nature", and then having some scale on that, rather like the Richter scale.
EG, up to 5, minimal insurance cover, thereafter cover dependent on distance from epicentre.
Someone is bound to come up with a formula which does not depend on throwing up your hands and pointing skywards.

[Liz Jay]

Hi

Got up yesterday morning and the garden was a mess!

Black Forest gateaux, Garlic baguettes, lasagnes, sausage rolls, choc ices etc etc all over the place

This fallout from Iceland is causing horrendeous problems here.............!

Sorry.....could not resist.....

Liz

[midget]

We are not trying to fly anywhere but there are reports of ash on cars around Exeter. My cough, like the poor, is always with me (due to A) taking methitrexate, and B) scars on my lungs from Chicken pox--I didn't believe that either) but today it has been almost unbearable.

[englishangel]

I have a friend visiting another friend in Dallas. She was supposed to be flying back arriving on Friday am, it now appears she won't be back until Wednesday this week at the earliest. She is crying all the way to the cheesecake factory, her daughter has GCSEs this term also, fortunately Easter was early(ish).

Edit: Flying to Chicago on the 26th (a week tomorrow) and home from there.

My bro-in-law had a 12 hour coach trip form Oban to Birmingham.

Gary Lineker drove and trained 24 hours without sleep from Tenerife across Spain and France so he didn't miss Match of the Day.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstop ... e-Day.html

[Katharine]

Sorry to hear about your cough, Maggie. So far I have not seen any ash - I saw more than enough of it when we were in Brunei and one of the Filipino volcanoes (Pinatumbo ?) went up. Then it got everywhere - but I don't remember there being any ban on flights. It must have been another type of ash!