UK + Northern Europe Airspace Shut Down Due to Volcanic Ash

[Matt Molnar]

Winds have shifted, and the reopening of airspace over north England and Ireland has been revoked. CO22, EWR-DUB, turned around over Newfoundland, heading back to EWR. Looks like Scotland is still in the clear.

[Gerard]

Medevac through the ash.....

http://www.shephard.co.uk/news/rotorhub ... -ash/6143/

[njgtr82]

EWR is a parking lot. Air India 773, Jet Airways A330, Air France A330, 2 Openskies 757s, 2 SAS A330's, El Al 777, British Airways 777(was 2 but one went to Prestwick tonight), Lufthansa A330, two Virgin A340s, Air One(Alitalia) A330, and half of Continental's 777's and 767's are parked all over the field sitting idle. Air Portugal seems to be the only European carrier operating as normal.

[Matt Molnar]

With air restrictions over the northern UK expected to be lifted this evening, BA just announced it will operate 6 flights from US to Scotland rather than LHR overnight. Ground transport will move passengers from Scotland to London.

* BA174 From New York (JFK) - Arriving in Glasgow (GLA)
* BA176 From New York (JFK) - Arriving in Prestwick (PIK)
* BA182 From New York (JFK) - Arriving in Glasgow (GLA)
* BA194 From New York (EWR) - Arriving in Prestwick (PIK)
* BA284 From San Francisco (SFO) - Arriving in Glasgow (GLA)
* BA268 From Los Angeles (LAX) - Arriving in Prestwick (PIK)

Looks like a few of these flights made it, but 182 and 268 were canceled.

Air France flew some special flights to southern France, like LAX-MRS, but none from the east coast.

[Matt Molnar]

BA has canceled everything until Monday afternoon.

Moscow airports are shutting down soon.

Airspace over Northern Italy is closed.

[PhilDernerJr]

France is now covered and Spain is about to get it now too.

[Gerard]

Obamas trip to Poland for the funeral of their President was cancelled due to the ash cloud. Other world leaders/delegations were also forced to cancel though French President Sarkozy said he WILL fly. Others closer will go by car.

[DHG750R]

I hate to imagine the damage this is causing the world's economy. Sad, just as the world was pulling itself out of a recession.

[Gerard]

I saw a report on ABC tonite of a reporter under the cloud in Iceland. It was scarier than a Nuclear Winter,
WOW!!!
And how this disaster continues to effect all...
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?secti ... id=7391487

[Matt Molnar]

I saw a report on ABC tonite of a reporter under the cloud in Iceland. It was scarier than a Nuclear Winter,
WOW!!!
And how this disaster continues to effect all...
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?secti ... id=7391487

Hmm, that report said a flight made it to EWR from Paris, but I couldn't find anything on flight aware.

Also, the PM of Norway is no longer stuck in NY...flew JFK-MAD-BSL and then drove 20 hours to Oslo.

Similarly, German President Merkel flew SFO-LIS-FCO followed by 20 hour drive to Berlin.

[Fighting_falcon_51]

I wonder how long this will last. Correct me if I'm wrong but the last time this mountain was active it lasted two years.

[SengaB]

Can someone post some links to show that this looks like from the ground on the mainland?. I have not been able to find a single image from the UK, Northern Europe etc

Senga

[Gerard]

Obamas trip to Poland for the funeral of their President was cancelled due to the ash cloud. Other world leaders/delegations were also forced to cancel though French President Sarkozy said he WILL fly. Others closer will go by car.

Sarkozy DIDNT fly from what I read.
Also heard that a number of airlines (Air France, KLM) are sending up test flights to see how bad it is.
Stories of people on both sides of The Pond not getting flights until at least Friday or Saturday at the earliest.

[engine46]

KLM and Lufthansa completed 'repositioning' flights (no pax) without running into any ash and are calling for the reopening of airspace. KLM did 737s up at FL410, Lufthansa stayed at lower altitudes and did their flights VFR.

[AirtrafficController]

Air France: We carried out succesful test flight
PARIS — Air France says it's safely carried out a test flight over France for the first time since a volcanic ash plume shut down aviation over Europe.
The plane traveled from Charles de Gaulle airport to Toulouse in southern France. Another test flight is under way in southwest France, it said, and three more will follow, for a total of five test flights Sunday.
European airlines are pushing national regulators to reopen airspace across Europe, saying the ash appears to have diminished enough to make flying safe.
Dutch airline KLM said it safely flew aircraft without passengers through a window in the cloud of volcanic ash over Europe Sunday, and pressed for an end to the total ban on commercial air traffic that has paralyzed travel across the continent.


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