Icelandic volcanic ash alert grounds UK flights
#61
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Re: Icelandic volcanic ash alert grounds UK flights
It's been absolutely lovely here in the UK for the past couple of days......cloudless blue sunny skies entirely free of aircraft vapour trails and even more significant....no aircraft noise whatsoever.....only the twitter of birds and the gentle hum of road traffic in the distance. People who live near all the major UK airports and below all the reguar flight paths think they are in heaven.....as many such people said on BBC radio 4 this morning - walking in Richmond Park in south west London and living in places like Hounslow and Stansted and Crawley and even the Queen in Windsor Castle are enjoying the peace and quiet in the heavens....while it lasts....the latest bulletins quote 07:00hrs BST Sunday 18/04/10 as being the end of the Heavenly Silence....unless there's another Icelandic eruption in the near future and the UK and much of Continental Europe remain right below the ensuing volcanic ash flightpath.
However, should this disruption continue, those lovely walks in Richmond Park will soon be replaced with panic buying in the stores. Least anyone forgets, the UK is an island dependent on trade, and the carriage of goods here.
#62
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41,518
Re: Icelandic volcanic ash alert grounds UK flights
As this is a polite forum, I shall not give a reply to that given the disruption caused by this.
However, should this disruption continue, those lovely walks in Richmond Park will soon be replaced with panic buying in the stores. Least anyone forgets, the UK is an island dependent on trade, and the carriage of goods here.
However, should this disruption continue, those lovely walks in Richmond Park will soon be replaced with panic buying in the stores. Least anyone forgets, the UK is an island dependent on trade, and the carriage of goods here.
#63
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 7,605
Re: Icelandic volcanic ash alert grounds UK flights
One thing I've leaned is that, when TSHTF, the key is to act quickly and just get out of the disaster area to anywhere - anywhere at all, then regroup.
DFDS will let me book Newcastle-Amsterdam on the 24th, which gives excellent access to the European rail network.
Pat's Pompey-Bilbao is a great idea (they just announced they were going to close that route!) but it'd mean telephone hell - unless Cindy can get access to their GDS (or whatever it's called).
DFDS will let me book Newcastle-Amsterdam on the 24th, which gives excellent access to the European rail network.
Pat's Pompey-Bilbao is a great idea (they just announced they were going to close that route!) but it'd mean telephone hell - unless Cindy can get access to their GDS (or whatever it's called).
#64
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Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 504
Re: Icelandic volcanic ash alert grounds UK flights
Im sitting tight for now because I have a couple weeks before I need to really start panic ing.
I also think the State Dept will do something with visas as at the end of the day, there are hundreds of thousands people affected by this.
I also think the State Dept will do something with visas as at the end of the day, there are hundreds of thousands people affected by this.
#66
Re: Icelandic volcanic ash alert grounds UK flights
My folks were due to fly back here from Spain on Sun the 18th but have just rebooked for the 23rd. Of *course* they're booked via LHR but they don't mind hanging out over there another week.
#67
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Re: Icelandic volcanic ash alert grounds UK flights
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/n...re/8627221.stm
A Northamptonshire company that imports fresh fruit says business has ground to a halt because of the volcanic ash disruption to flights.
Blue Skies, one of the UK's biggest fresh fruit importers, supplies the major supermarkets from farmers in Africa and South America.
All the produce goes through Heathrow, but there has not been a delivery since 1130 BST on Thursday, it says fruit is rotting in the fields and warehouses in Brazil and AfricaChairman Anthony Pile told BBC News he was very concerned for the welfare of 3,000 employees overseas.
He said the factories were at a "total standstill"."No business can go on for very long without money coming in," he said.
I hope the people walking in Richmond Park think about that.
A Northamptonshire company that imports fresh fruit says business has ground to a halt because of the volcanic ash disruption to flights.
Blue Skies, one of the UK's biggest fresh fruit importers, supplies the major supermarkets from farmers in Africa and South America.
All the produce goes through Heathrow, but there has not been a delivery since 1130 BST on Thursday, it says fruit is rotting in the fields and warehouses in Brazil and AfricaChairman Anthony Pile told BBC News he was very concerned for the welfare of 3,000 employees overseas.
He said the factories were at a "total standstill"."No business can go on for very long without money coming in," he said.
I hope the people walking in Richmond Park think about that.
#68
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Joined: Nov 2007
Location: Carson City, NV
Posts: 789
Re: Icelandic volcanic ash alert grounds UK flights
It's quite interesting to see that with my economist/business hat on. These events are very rare and it appears that hardly anybody has any sort of contingency plan for them (myself included) but it's an easy way to kill your business if you don't.
#69
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Joined: Feb 2004
Location: Midlands - MA - CO-CA
Posts: 2,765
Re: Icelandic volcanic ash alert grounds UK flights
DH has now got a flight booked for Tuesday from LHR, if they are flying by then. At least he is staying with some family members just north of London which is better than a hotel. I'm just enjoying the quiet time and hope he's not eaten the Jelly Babies I asked him to bring back.
#70
Re: Icelandic volcanic ash alert grounds UK flights
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/n...re/8627221.stm
A Northamptonshire company that imports fresh fruit says business has ground to a halt because of the volcanic ash disruption to flights.
Blue Skies, one of the UK's biggest fresh fruit importers, supplies the major supermarkets from farmers in Africa and South America.
All the produce goes through Heathrow, but there has not been a delivery since 1130 BST on Thursday, it says fruit is rotting in the fields and warehouses in Brazil and AfricaChairman Anthony Pile told BBC News he was very concerned for the welfare of 3,000 employees overseas.
He said the factories were at a "total standstill"."No business can go on for very long without money coming in," he said.
I hope the people walking in Richmond Park think about that.
A Northamptonshire company that imports fresh fruit says business has ground to a halt because of the volcanic ash disruption to flights.
Blue Skies, one of the UK's biggest fresh fruit importers, supplies the major supermarkets from farmers in Africa and South America.
All the produce goes through Heathrow, but there has not been a delivery since 1130 BST on Thursday, it says fruit is rotting in the fields and warehouses in Brazil and AfricaChairman Anthony Pile told BBC News he was very concerned for the welfare of 3,000 employees overseas.
He said the factories were at a "total standstill"."No business can go on for very long without money coming in," he said.
I hope the people walking in Richmond Park think about that.
#71
Re: Icelandic volcanic ash alert grounds UK flights
On the news last night, UPS claims that its sorting facilities in Europe are getting full of packages since they have also not been able to fly out. I suspect they will shortly not accept any more packages for delivery.
I suspect that is also getting to be a problem in the US also for packages going to Europe.
I suspect that is also getting to be a problem in the US also for packages going to Europe.
#72
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Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 504
Re: Icelandic volcanic ash alert grounds UK flights
A private plane in the UK has just crashed. Not sure if its due to ash.
#73
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Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 504
Re: Icelandic volcanic ash alert grounds UK flights
Now pushed back to 1 PM Sunday
#74
Re: Icelandic volcanic ash alert grounds UK flights
Just got the text from American. Our flight from Boston to LHR tomorrow is cancelled and they are unable to rebook us before April 30.
Jumping in the car now to drive south in search of some sea and sun.
Good luck to the rest of you guys.
Jumping in the car now to drive south in search of some sea and sun.
Good luck to the rest of you guys.
#75
Re: Icelandic volcanic ash alert grounds UK flights
I'm sorry to hear that SnO...I was hoping you'd get out tomorrow.