Volcano disrupts all flights to UK (April 2010)

[dajop]

Depending on where I was I'd guess I could last 10 days until I reached the limits of my policy. Either way I'd be nervous about money running out.

And interesting question is at what point, and how much would one pay to make alternative arrangements, if it was evident TI was going to run out. Noting that alternative arrangements are often not covered by TI unless to attend a special event etc. Someone on FT managed to get to Paris on Eurostar, hire a vehicle to drive to Madrid, pick up on IB flight to Buenos Aires and QF allowed the use of the LHR-SYD ticket on EZE-SYD instead. (perversely I think many that frequent AFF & FT would relish a challenge like that ... not so for the average traveller)

 

[harvyk]

Talk about going the long way around, that said...

If it was me personally, I'd start looking at alternate arrangements by day 2 or 3...

I'd rather spend a couple of $1000 getting home and actually be back at home, than stuck somewhere when the travel insurance is risking running out, because when the TI money runs out, you may still be stuck there with no end in sight.

 

[Mal]

I think most AFF'ers / FT types are better at recovering from these types of incidents and knowing appropriate rights. Plus the waitlist preference, call answering preference and sometimes favourable treatment that OWE/OWS (and other equivalents on other alliances) have can help with dealing with the situation.

Even with all that, dealing with situations can be pretty stressful. Even my simple issue of a trip to HKG (and various other parts of S.E Asia) being stuffed up is causing me a few concerns. It doesn't help that my bookings are on multiple carriers etc, and not fully linked together.

 

[dajop]

Talk about going the long way around, that said...

Surprisingly, for the flights at least, it's not a whole heap further ... MAD-EZE-SYD is about same distance as LHR-JFK-LAX-SYD and all in all it's only adding a SYD to Rarotonga or Bali trip onto the end of a LHR-SYD trip.......

 

[Oggy]

Here's a happy ending to my attempts to get to the Boston Marathon using QF frequent flyer points on a BA flight. Whilst I didn't actually get onto any planes or do any running at least the QF Frequent Flyer phone desk have now done a 180 flip on refunding my award points.

Originally they told me that I was out of luck and the points were gone but after encouragement from this forum I have gone back to them and their latest advice couldn't have been more helpful. Points and taxes being refunded. What was funny is that they still have a copy of their original advice on my file so they could see what a mess they made of the customer relations the first time around.

Thanks P.

 

[Oggy]

FLIGHTS SEEN OVER LONDON - a little glimmer of hope, This morning I've seen four aircraft (looked like 747s or similar) flying at cruising altitude over London heading West. Still no locally inbound or outbound seen though.

 

[Mal]

Here's a happy ending to my attempts to get to the Boston Marathon using QF frequent flyer points on a BA flight. Whilst I didn't actually get onto any planes or do any running at least the QF Frequent Flyer phone desk have now done a 180 flip on refunding my award points.

Congrats. Qantas did do a 180 on their policy in the last couple of days, so that might have helped. Overall, they stuffed up and did the right thing in the end, which is the right thing to do.

Hopefully you can find award seats to Boston for next year in the next few days as they become available, and you are able to book them. It would be interesting to know how many fewer participants they had in the marathon this year due to disruption.

Your posts have been interesting from a "how Qantas treats people" perspective, so I also thank you for them.

 

[Mal]

FLIGHTS SEEN OVER LONDON - a little glimmer of hope, This morning I've seen four aircraft (looked like 747s or similar) flying at cruising altitude over London heading West. Still no locally inbound or outbound seen though.

They're allowed to fly *over* London, just not depart or land. Basically if aircraft can maintain a certain height, then they can fly over UK airspace, but can't actually depart or land in the UK due to them going lower into airspace that is still affected.

 

[samh004]

On the news tonight they say the density of the ash plume is decreasing as the eruption tends more towards lava than steam.

Also heard on the news tonight that the backlog for Qantas wouldn’t be cleared until mid-May if flights resumed now. It’s going to be a very busy winter/summer period I think.

I wonder if this would increase op-up chances, as presumably they’ll have a larger chance of selling out of Y seats than J or even F. For high status pax there could be a little blessing in this.

FLIGHTS SEEN OVER LONDON - a little glimmer of hope, This morning I've seen four aircraft (looked like 747s or similar) flying at cruising altitude over London heading West. Still no locally inbound or outbound seen though.

They're allowed to fly *over* London, just not depart or land. Basically if aircraft can maintain a certain height, then they can fly over UK airspace, but can't actually depart or land in the UK due to them going lower into airspace that is still affected.

I guess that makes sense as the latest map from VAAC shows the ash cloud at up to FL200, but not above until much further into Northern Europe. Doesn’t help that the cloud covers the whole of the UK though.

 

[anat0l]

I wonder if this would increase op-up chances, as presumably they’ll have a larger chance of selling out of Y seats than J or even F. For high status pax there could be a little blessing in this.

Not so much chances as much as it will be a necessity, and of course only "good" if you are an affected pax (either bumped off your cancelled flight and are now overdue, or were booked on the service all along). I'd imagine there will be a decent number of premium class pax on the cancelled flights that will fill up the first resuming services without needing to upgrade pax.

I'd also imagine that any points upgrade requests will probably have little chance in Hell of going through.

 

[Mal]

It appears that the floodgates have now been opened. Whether that is the right decision or not, is yet to be determined!
BBC News - UK airports set to reopen

All UK airports can reopen from 2200 BST on Tuesday, the Transport Secretary Lord Adonis has said.

 

[Blackadder]

Reports on Ch7 mention the first plane has landed at LHR just before 0700 Eastern Standard Time.
With the reports the Airspace is reopening, interesting that QF have already cancelled all flights to/from Europe for the next couple of days.

 

[samh004]

Reports on Ch7 mention the first plane has landed at LHR just before 0700 Eastern Standard Time.
With the reports the Airspace is reopening, interesting that QF have already cancelled all flights to/from Europe for the next couple of days.

That was an unlucky decision by them, but time will tell if the airports just close again or if the decision to open isn’t so good. Hopefully this means Qantas can have everything ready by the time flights are scheduled to resume though, everyone in the right place.

 

[Mal]

Reports on Ch7 mention the first plane has landed at LHR just before 0700 Eastern Standard Time.
With the reports the Airspace is reopening, interesting that QF have already cancelled all flights to/from Europe for the next couple of days.

As I was walking home tonight (Approx 10:15 UK time), I saw a 747 (or similar large plane) about to land...

So there is definitely traffic moving. BA did have a large number of planes in the air hoping to land somewhere in the UK... I think they scored the jackpot and ended up being able to land at LHR.

 

[Blackadder]

BA 777 was the flight reported to have landed at LHR.

Edit: Seems to have landed at LGW not LHR as reported, going by Twitter reports..yet flight www.flightstats.com has it landed at LHR, take your pick

 

[simongr]

In terms of premium pax I expect that some my be electing not to fly for the next few weeks given the uncertainty around the second Volcano and the risk of getting stuck somewhere.

 

[oz_mark]

Love the joke doing the rounds

First they declare themseleves bankrupt...Then they set their island on fire...
Sounds like the mother of all insurance frauds?!

 

[QF WP]

My understanding about the flights last night (UK time) (confirmed by Potakas over on Business Traveller):

A large number of British Airways long haul aircraft that were expected to land at London Heathrow have diverted to Shannon because UK airspace has been closed.At least four BA aircraft have landed at the west of Ireland airport and a number of others are likely to do so.

Shannon Airport has been kept open for two hours longer than scheduled this evening to facilitate the safe return of British Airways aircraft already en route to London Heathrow. The airport was scheduled to close at 1900, but is being kept open until 2100, the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) has said in a statement. British Airways is hoping to land 26 long haul flights at London Heathrow this evening and Shannon will provide an emergency alternative for the aircraft.

Tweet message from BA:
We've had 2 divert some flts which will land at a number of European cities, we remain hopeful we'll b able to land others at LHR or LGW about 1 hour ago via TweetDeck

 

[Blackadder]

Just heard a radio report suggesting QF will resume flying to FRA tonight.

 

[samh004]

Just heard a radio report suggesting QF will resume flying to FRA tonight.

Noted on their website here.

The following flights will operate on Wednesday 21/22 April 2010

From London to Australia
QF8232 London to Sydney via Singapore scheduled to depart at 1205 local time
QF8230 London to Melbourne via Hong Kong scheduled to depart at 1220 local time

From Asia to London/Frankfurt
QF8205 Singapore to Frankfurt scheduled to depart at 2320 local time
QF8209 Singapore to London scheduled to depart at 2305 local time
QF8201 Bangkok to London scheduled to depart at 0045 (Thursday 22 April) local time
QF8231 Singapore to London scheduled to depart at 2359 local time
QF8229 Hong Kong to London scheduled to depart at 0735 local on Thursday 22 April

On Thursday 22 April Qantas will recommence normal scheduled services from Australia to Europe. Customers booked on the following flights are confirmed for travel:

QF9 Melbourne to London scheduled to depart at 1530 local time
QF5 Sydney to Frankfurt scheduled to depart at 1550 local time
QF31 Sydney to London scheduled to depart at 1615 local time
QF1 Sydney to London scheduled to depart at 1700 local time
QF29 Melbourne to London scheduled to depart at 2300 local time

Customers who were booked on cancelled flights are advised not to proceed to the airport. Qantas will endevour to contact you regarding rebooking options on the next available services.