Icelandic Volcano Causes European Flight Cancellations

[Catherine M]

I am stuck in London and depressed. I have been here all week on business and I'm really really ready to go home... Looks like I will have at least one day and possibly more for the sightseeing I rarely get to do during my trips here. But I want to go home!!!

Sorry to hear that you are stuck.

A coworker is in Paris right now and I hope she'll be able to fly home on Saturday as scheduled as she does not handle stress very well!

[allezfred]

A coworker is in Paris right now and I hope she'll be able to fly home on Saturday as scheduled as she does not handle stress very well!

I wouldn't count on her being able to fly. Air France has cancelled all flights in and out of Paris tomorrow morning. It's going to have an effect on Saturdays flights one way or the other.

[Catherine M]

I wouldn't count on her being able to fly. Air France has cancelled all flights in and out of Paris tomorrow morning. It's going to have an effect on Saturdays flights one way or the other.

Figured as much. She's going to be a basket case. Oh well, at least she is safe and that's all that counts.

[Lacey]

Wow, this is a mess.

Has it happened before that airports and cross Atlantic flights were cancelled?

Probably a stupid question: why can't everyone fly to Spain and east out of there?

[genevieve]

Probably a stupid question: why can't everyone fly to Spain and east out of there?

Because they can't fly to Spain?

[Lacey]

You mean it's all over Europe, I thought it was just in their flight paths over Iceland to or from US. Sorry, didn't get that.

[Hanna]

Since I don't have to fly anywhere... I'm about the amazing forces of nature. I just find it astonishing. The volcano is erupting and there's nothing the 6,000,000+ people in the world can do about it. Planet Earth is just such a beautiful and wonderful thing.

Signed, a physical geography student
(I admit it's easy for me to say when it's not affecting me negatively)

OTOH, my parents are not so excited about it. They were supposed to be flying to Madeira tomorrow morning but not gonna happen now.

[IceAlisa]

Iceland should be declared a rogue nation and part of Axis of Evil. First a bank collapse wiping out savings across Europe, now a volcano grounding European flights. Enough is enough! Memo to the UN: Discuss.

That would be just about as useful as most other UN discussions.

[rfisher]

See I don't know
I don't know
I don't know where I'm a gonna go
When the volcano blow

No time to count what I'm worth
Hey I just left the planet earth
But a' where I go I hope there's rum
Not to worry, more soon come

[allezfred]

You mean it's all over Europe, I thought it was just in their flight paths over Iceland to or from US. Sorry, didn't get that.

Ireland, the UK, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, etc.

The hilarious thing is that Reykjavik Airport is open so you can fly from there to the US because the wind is blowing the volcanic ash east.

ETA: BBC now showing programme that may or may not be called "Top 10 Volcanoes....Ever".

[cruisin]

Wow, this is a mess.

Has it happened before that airports and cross Atlantic flights were cancelled?

Probably a stupid question: why can't everyone fly to Spain and east out of there?

Right now Spanish airports are open, but for how long?

I am . I am supposed to leave for Italy next Thursday. If this keeps up . We fly through Frankfurt.

[allezfred]

I am .

Why the ? You'd prefer that the planes fly, but potentially into clouds of volcanic ash and the engines stop?

Bit of perspective here people. Planes aren't flying for a reason. Sucks that you can't get home or go on holiday, but you're alive.

[cruisin]

So you'd prefer that the planes fly, but potentially into clouds of volcanic ash and the engines stop?

Bit of perspective here people. Planes aren't flying for a reason. Sucks that you can't get home or go on holiday, but you're alive.

Are you for real? Obviously I wouldn't want the planes to fly if it were not safe. But, excuse me for being disappointed if my plans get screwed up and I lose a lot of money.

[GarrAarghHrumph]

Wow, this is a mess.

Has it happened before that airports and cross Atlantic flights were cancelled?

For 9/11 yes. But other than that, nothing this large, no.

[AragornElessar]

I heard on the news tonight this could end up keeping quite a few of the World Leaders who were planning on attending the State Funeral in Poland on Monday from being there.

My cousin is a Air Traffic Controller at Pearson. I bet he had quite the unusual work day today.

[skatemommy]

When flights get cancelled, the previous passengers get priority so this could dump people off of flights way into next week. So glad no planes flew into this cloud of doom, worse than a flock of birds.

[ballettmaus]

Right now Spanish airports are open, but for how long?

I am . I am supposed to leave for Italy next Thursday. If this keeps up . We fly through Frankfurt.

Last I heard, Frankfurt was still open. Berlin and Hamburg are shut down. Could have changed by now though.
But there's plenty of time until next Thursday

[marbri]

When flights get cancelled, the previous passengers get priority so this could dump people off of flights way into next week. So glad no planes flew into this cloud of doom, worse than a flock of birds.

I think that depends on the airline?

[milanessa]

I blame Canada.

[4rkidz]

Chad the CNN weather guy said tonight this could last for weeks because of the jet stream - causing a circular type motion which would stop the ash from moving eastward away - and dissipate.. oh dear May effect flights for quite a while if the jet stream doesn't move..