Volcano disrupts all flights to UK (April 2010)

[NM]

From news.com.au:

AIRLINE passengers are facing severe disruption after an ash cloud from a volcanic eruption in Iceland grounded planes across the United Kingdom.

All airports in Scotland and London have been closed on advice from the National Air Traffic Control Service while flights to and from Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle and Birmingham also face disruption.

 

[Mal]

Re: Volcanic ash grounds Heathrow, Gatwick flights in Britain

Pretty messy. Going to cause huge disruption to flights, and horrible knock-on effects.

Currently wondering how it's going to affect my flight to HKG on Sat... And as I haven't yet finalised plans for that trip, what I should be doing.

 

[SimonM]

Re: Volcanic ash grounds Heathrow, Gatwick flights in Britain

ABC report that the disruption has spread to Norway and Sweden.

Volcanic ash grounds European flights - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

 

[docjames]

Re: Volcanic ash grounds Heathrow, Gatwick flights in Britain

Ugh, what a mess. Still, a ditched 744 makes a much bigger mess......

 

[flyer4703]

Volcano disrupts all flights to UK

A volcano erupting in Iceland will ground all flights from UK airports from 11:30am UK time.

Live: latest updates on volcanic ash travel chaos -Times Online

From the BA website
"After 11.30am UK time there will be no departures from any British Airways UK airport. Many flights before that time have also been affected.

The decision to cancel has been made for safety reasons and on the direction from Air Traffic Control Service (NATS). "

oops...just noticed someone has already posted this

 

[simongr]

Re: Volcanic ash grounds Heathrow, Gatwick flights in Britain

First Iceland collapses the financial markets and now this....

 

[NM]

Re: Volcanic ash grounds Heathrow, Gatwick flights in Britain

First Iceland collapses the financial markets and now this....

Conspiracy theory?

 

[simongr]

You might think so - I couldnt possibly comment...

 

[Mal]

You might think so - I couldnt possibly comment...

Actually I thought it was caused by BASSA trying to inflict as much pain on BA as possible...

Does anyone know how Qantas is handling this with the flights SYD/MEL-SIN/BKK/HKG-LHR? I presume they all left SYD/MEL etc on time, but will they get held in SIN/BKK/HKG I wonder?

Airspace in the UK is closed for at least another 7 hours, and potentially longer if the ash sticks around. There wouldn't be much use in Qantas leaving HKG/SIN/BKK etc if they're going to be denied entry to UK airspace...

 

[Mal]

Qantas have now issued their booking advice to agents:
Latest Qantas News

Changes to Bookings From UK / Europe 15 April 2010

Due to the volcanic eruption in Iceland, the following commercial policy outlines the options available to Qantas customers holding a valid Qantas ticket for travel on 15 April or 16 April where their flight has been cancelled.

Commercial & Any Seat redemption Passengers may, without penalty:

* Re-route travel via the most direct routing using Qantas.
* Return to the origin port via the most direct routing using Qantas.
* Retain the value of the ticket in credit for future travel
* Defer travel as below.


For travel within 14 Days of ticketed departure:

* If the same booking class is not available, the next lowest class may be booked within the same cabin.
* All changes to travel dates must be made prior to departure
* New travel dates must be no later than 14 days after the original flight.
* All other rules and conditions of the ticket remain unchanged.
* Any 3rd party costs/penalties, such as hotel or other ground operator fees incurred will not be waived by Qantas.


For travel outside 14 Days of ticketed departure:

* All changes to travel dates must be made prior to departure
* The new flight must be for the same cabin/class of travel (eg First, Business or Economy).
* New travel dates must be no later than 3 months after the original flight.
* All other rules and conditions of the ticket remain unchanged.
* Any 3rd party costs/penalties, such as hotel or other ground operator fees incurred will not be waived by Qantas.


Frequent Flyer Classic Redemption Tickets:

* Passengers are able to re-book or re-route subject to redemption seat availability only. Additional points/taxes may apply if re-routed.
* Normal change fees will not apply.


Ticket Revalidation:

* The Agent can revalidate the ticket for a date and/or time change. Additional fare/tax/change fees associated to the fare do not apply.


Ticket Reissue:

* The Agent can reissue the ticket. Additional fare/tax/change fees associated to the fare do not apply.
* Reference authority “552161” to be entered into the tour code box.
* For net, APOSD and Private fare tickets, move the existing data from the tour code box to the endorsement box.
* Net remit tickets will not require the NR indicator.

Looks like you're out of luck if you have an award ticket...

 

[Andyzx]

Looked at the BBC website they had a map of the effected area. Will extend into Scandinavian countries and Russia, over the next day or so and also into parts of France and Germany.
Its the second erruption in a month but the ash got pushed up much higher this time.

A good time to check the travel insurance policy:shock:

 

[wandering_fred]

On the standard sites, there are comments (with corresponding speculation) that the last time this complex erupted, the activities lasted MONTHS.........

Anyone planning to wander through the UK?

If so, happy wandering

Fred

 

[Mal]

UK airspace is now closed until *at least* tomorrow 7am BST time. Tomorrow will be problematic, and it's not looking good for the weekend.

If you have *any* travel to or from the UK (and perhaps parts of Europe) in the next few days, start to worry!

BBC News - Icelandic volcanic ash alert grounds UK flights

The UK's air traffic control service (Nats) said no flights would be allowed in or out of UK airspace until 0700 BST on Friday amid fears of engine damage.

The airspace restriction was the worst in living memory, a spokesman said.

Nats suggested that the restrictions were unlikely to be lifted after 0700, saying saying it was "very unlikely that the situation over England will improve in the foreseeable future".

 

[samh004]

On the standard sites, there are comments (with corresponding speculation) that the last time this complex erupted, the activities lasted MONTHS.........

Anyone planning to wander through the UK?

If so, happy wandering

Fred

I just hope it’s all back to normal by June… but if it’s going to last months… :shock: :-|

 

[dajop]

Looks like you're out of luck if you have an award ticket...

Is this a standard clause for classic award tickets for flights cancelled due to weather/volcanic ash etc? Ie can only book if award seat inventory available. Or is it that for voluntary rebooking only, otherwise you take what QF give you at the airport.

Out of SIN tonite, flights to AMS, CDG & LHR have all been cancelled by SQ and by KL, AF & BA. LHR delayed to 11 or 12am on QF. LH & SQ still flying to FRA, but QF delayed until 11am tomorrow as well. SQ's flight to IAH via MOW also cancelled.

 

[adrian]

I just arrived in JNB to connect to my flight to MAD. Apparently all flights on the European carriers from JNB have been cancelled, except for Iberian, which I guess is far enough away. Am in an empty BA galleries lounge which has just now closing, 6 hrs early, as all BA flight cancelled.....

 

[Mal]

Is this a standard clause for classic award tickets for flights cancelled due to weather/volcanic ash etc? Ie can only book if award seat inventory available. Or is it that for voluntary rebooking only, otherwise you take what QF give you at the airport.

FF tickets have been handled in different ways with various incidents. I'm pretty sure this is a more harsh way of handling them than what has been offered before -and certainly is different from how they're handling FF award tickets involving Thailand at the moment (see Latest Qantas News )

Passengers may, without penalty:

* Defer travel to/from Thailand.
* Return to the origin port via the most direct routing using Qantas.
* Bypass Thailand as a stopover point and continue to the next ticketed destination via the most direct routing using Qantas.


Conditions:

* All changes to travel dates must be made prior to midnight 17 April 2010.
* New travel dates must be prior to 30 May 2010.
* The new flight must be for the same cabin/class of travel (eg First, Business, Premium Economy or Economy).
* Any third party costs/penalties, such as hotel or other ground operator fees incurred will not be waived by Qantas.
* All other rules and conditions of the ticket remain unchanged.


Frequent Flyer Redemption Tickets:

* Passengers travelling on redemption tickets are entitled to the same options and conditions as listed above.
* Note: Passengers on partner airline services are able to re-book or re-route subject to redemption seat availability only.

If you were at the airport I would *hope* Qantas would rebook you onto the next available flight... but I don't know what is currently being done at airports.

Edit: Looking at some previous Qantas waivers etc, perhaps this treatment isn't so unusual:
Jan 2010 - UK/Europe Weather. "subject to redemption seat availability only"
Dec 2009 - BA potential strike. No mention of Classic award tickets (although Anyseat/Commercial tickets were mentioned).
Sep 2009 - SYD dust storms. Similar treatment to Thailand above.
etc

 

[uzza]

I'm wondering how this will affect the wider Qantas (Or any other carrier for that matter) International Network namely USA flights (Own self interest, flying MEL-LAX QF93 Wed)?

It seems like the ash won't head as far as North America (at this stage at least) but in regards to the position of aircraft - will this mess up aircraft being in the right place for those flights to depart ex-Aus/USA without problem? Or will the fact that some flights will be cancelled ex-Aus over the next few days mean that A/C will be available for these flights (if the planned A/C is standed in EU/Asia)?

Surely QF will try to lessen the impact on the rest of their ops during this crisis....

 

[markis10]

I'm wondering how this will affect the wider Qantas (Or any other carrier for that matter) International Network namely USA flights (Own self interest, flying MEL-LAX QF93 Wed)?

It seems like the ash won't head as far as North America (at this stage at least) but in regards to the position of aircraft - will this mess up aircraft being in the right place for those flights to depart ex-Aus/USA without problem? Or will the fact that some flights will be cancelled ex-Aus over the next few days mean that A/C will be available for these flights (if the planned A/C is standed in EU/Asia)?

Surely QF will try to lessen the impact on the rest of their ops during this crisis....

You should be fine, there is normally quite a few aircraft on that route given its a two day turn, I expect the feeder flights will continue to SIN/BKK/HKG and where the aircraft may have continued on they will return back to Australia. I expect QF may have a few spare aircraft available ex Australia that will be held pending the lifting of restrictions to assist with moving the backlog.

 

[uzza]

You should be fine, there is normally quite a few aircraft on that route given its a two day turn, I expect the feeder flights will continue to SIN/BKK/HKG and where the aircraft may have continued on they will return back to Australia. I expect QF may have a few spare aircraft available ex Australia that will be held pending the lifting of restrictions to assist with moving the backlog.

Thanks markis10,

I thought this would be the case, because if it started to knock on to all flight ops for QF then it would be similarly for all airlines and soon enough most air traffic around the world would be severely impacted.

May seem like a stupid question, but why don't the A/C fly around the cloud of ash to/from EU - or is it too massive of a cloud = too great a distance? Or are they unwilling to do so since the BA9 incident in 1982?