Giant ash cloud

[Mark]

Run for your lives!

[GridGirl]

We're at a wedding on Saturday. I hope it moves on soon or there will be a nice Jacuzzi water bungalow in the Maldives thats empty. :p

[Dave B]

As if inflicting Bjork on us wasn't bad enough, Iceland now want to screw with our air travel. Is this what we get for naming a crappy supermarket after their country and putting Kerry Katona in the adverts?

[Mark in Oshawa]

As if inflicting Bjork on us wasn't bad enough, Iceland now want to screw with our air travel. Is this what we get for naming a crappy supermarket after their country and putting Kerry Katona in the adverts?

Iceland is just doing ITS bit to stop global warming.....

Those Icelanders, you know they are rather handy people....and it is very convenient of them to have a few volcano's to darken the skies and give us all shade!!

[jim mcglinchey]

..and I think my windscreen is etched with that pyroclastic crap, I couldnt get it clean. I'd sue their asses if they werent already broke.

[Sonic]

I've heard of the wrong kind of snow, or leaves on the line - but giant killer ash cloud is a new one on me. The number of people affecterd by this is just nutts; in the UK alone almost every flight is grounded - thousands of people stuck - and the prediction is that much of NW europe could be hit in the same manner.

Eek!

[Dave B]

Wow. Have a look at this website, it's a freakish display now:
http://www.radarvirtuel.com/

The latest is that all flights into UK airspace will be suspended from midday. That'll mess up the schedules for days :s

[Dave B]

Daily Mail comment (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1266038/Iceland-volcano-erupts-second-time-month-forcing-new-evacuation-tourists.html?ITO=1490) of the day, regarding the volcanic ash cloud:


"This is exactly what I predicted would happen.
Increasingly severe and frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The Large Hadron Collider has generated one or more black holes which fell to the centre of the Earth. The heat produced as the core is consumed causes increased seismic activity. The volcanic winter will probably render the planet uninhabitable well before it is finally consumed by the black hole.
Haiti, Mexico, Chile, China, Indonesia, Iceland. It's all over."

Who lets these people out of the ward without medication?

[markabilly]

The collider is a mere contributor to the fact we are now getting very very close to the final end in 2012...

This cloud is just a taste of the unprecedented catastrophe that is almost upon us

The Mayan calender ends in 2012.
Upon which day:
A polar reversal will cause the north to become the south and the sun to rise in the west. Shattering earthquakes, massive tidal waves and simultaneous volcanic eruptions will follow. Nuclear reactors will melt, buildings will crumble, and a cloud of volcanic dust will block out the sun forever.

Outside of this, everything will be just fine

[Daniel]

Daily Mail comment (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1266038/Iceland-volcano-erupts-second-time-month-forcing-new-evacuation-tourists.html?ITO=1490) of the day, regarding the volcanic ash cloud:



Who lets these people out of the ward without medication?
I like this one though



ALL DAVID CAMERONS HOT AIR HAS TO ESCAPE SOMEWHERE
- dave, safe distance from hull, 15/4/2010 9:02

:rotflmao:

[BeansBeansBeans]

The collider is a mere contributor to the fact we are now getting very very close to the final end in 2012...

This cloud is just a taste of the unprecedented catastrophe that is almost upon us

The Mayan calender ends in 2012.
Upon which day:
A polar reversal will cause the north to become the south and the sun to rise in the west. Shattering earthquakes, massive tidal waves and simultaneous volcanic eruptions will follow. Nuclear reactors will melt, buildings will crumble, and a cloud of volcanic dust will block out the sun forever.

Outside of this, everything will be just fine

:p

[Brown, Jon Brow]

The worst thing is we can't see any of the cloud in the sky :(

[BDunnell]

The collider is a mere contributor to the fact we are now getting very very close to the final end in 2012...

This cloud is just a taste of the unprecedented catastrophe that is almost upon us

The Mayan calender ends in 2012.
Upon which day:
A polar reversal will cause the north to become the south and the sun to rise in the west. Shattering earthquakes, massive tidal waves and simultaneous volcanic eruptions will follow. Nuclear reactors will melt, buildings will crumble, and a cloud of volcanic dust will block out the sun forever.

Outside of this, everything will be just fine

I have never agreed more with a single post.

[BDunnell]

The worst thing is we can't see any of the cloud in the sky :(

I know. Having turned on the radio when I woke up and heard this on the news, I was expecting an impressive skyscape outside! But alas no.

[Mark]

The worst thing is we can't see any of the cloud in the sky :(

No, just normal clouds !

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Maybe we'll get a spectacular sunset when the sun is lower.

[Ghostwalker]

Wow. Have a look at this website, it's a freakish display now:
http://www.radarvirtuel.com/

The latest is that all flights into UK airspace will be suspended from midday. That'll mess up the schedules for days :s

add to that flights to/from, Sweden, Norway, Ireland, Belgium, The Netherlands and parts of Germany.

http://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/sveriges-luftrum-stangs-helt-1.1077936

[veeten]

... which means that you will just have to take the train. :p :

[edv]

Ah. This is all good.
My Mother-In-Law has travelled to N Europe....perhaps she will be stuck there indefinitely!

[Dave B]

This is a stunning photo from NASA showing the cloud of ash working its way down towards Scotland.

It's far too big to post here, so have a linky:
http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2010105-0415/NorthAtlantic.A2010105.1135.1km.jpg

[Caroline]

Another link

http://www.sat24.com/Eyjafjallajokull-volcano.aspx

[Daniel]

Maybe we'll get a spectacular sunset when the sun is lower.

Most likely. We had spectacular sunsets in Perth for a while after My Pinatubo eruption of 1991.

[BDunnell]

Great name for a band, by the way, Giant Ash Cloud.

[Eki]

add to that flights to/from, Sweden, Norway, Ireland, Belgium, The Netherlands and parts of Germany.

http://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/sveriges-luftrum-stangs-helt-1.1077936
And Finland.

[Roamy]

The collider is a mere contributor to the fact we are now getting very very close to the final end in 2012...

This cloud is just a taste of the unprecedented catastrophe that is almost upon us

The Mayan calender ends in 2012.
Upon which day:
A polar reversal will cause the north to become the south and the sun to rise in the west. Shattering earthquakes, massive tidal waves and simultaneous volcanic eruptions will follow. Nuclear reactors will melt, buildings will crumble, and a cloud of volcanic dust will block out the sun forever.

Outside of this, everything will be just fine

Does that mean all the Latina Escorts will fall into my lap ?? :)

[Captain VXR]

And Finland.

Oh no.

[Daniel]

Nice red sunset today :) Long may it continue :)

[Eki]

Does that mean all the Latina Escorts will fall into my lap ?? :)
Latina Escort? Is it like Ford Escort?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Escort_(North_America)

[Sonic]

Great name for a band, by the way, Giant Ash Cloud.

LOL! Tho the best band name ever was one of my first; "Free Beer". Every pub we ever played was packed :D can't think why ;) :p

[Langdale Forest]

If the WRC Rally of Turkey was next weekend, the ash cloud might have stopped the teams from flying out to Turkey.

[Mark in Oshawa]

All I know is Edv is the true winner.....any time your mother in law is that far away, it allows for a much more mellow existence...lol.

[bowler]

If the WRC Rally of Turkey was next weekend, the ash cloud might have stopped the teams from flying out to Turkey.

It might stop them flying home

[Easy Drifter]

I wonder if it will interere with satellite signals?
Heavy snow and rainstorms do.

[turves]

Nice red sunset today :) Long may it continue :)

I hope not, Im stuck in Lima, and just want to get home to see my kids, but as long as you get some pretty pictures...

[Daniel]

The sunsets may stay red for a while purely because the ash will hang around for a while, doesn,t mean flights will be cancelled still

[Ian McC]

My sister was due to fly into Heathrow from Tokyo today, at the moment she is booked onto the next available flight which is 1st May :s

[wilberforce]

I was out and about last night getting stuff ready for the Pirelli Rally and there wasn't a plane in the sky. Oh so quiet.

[BDunnell]

Today, I went to the National Archives in Kew. With the wind direction the way it was, there would normally have been a constant stream of airliners approaching overhead. Their complete absence was very strange, albeit also rather nice.

[harsha]

Run To The Hills !!!!!!!!!
Run For Your Lives :d :d :d

[BeansBeansBeans]

I'm meant to be training some Spaniards tomorrow but I imagine their flight will be cancelled. This means I don't have to spend today preparing.

Thank you you lovely volcano you.

[Dave B]

Teleconference?

[BeansBeansBeans]

Teleconference?

God I hope not. I can barely manage powerpoint.

[Daniel]

Video conference equipment is a doddle to use.

[J4MIE]

It's actually creating a lot of adventure stories that I am enjoying hearing about, but pretty glad I'm not about to try to get home from Turkey!

[Mark]

I'm not flying until a week on Thursday. But I am already looking at what to do if I have to spend my honeymoon in the UK.

[markabilly]

I'm not flying until a week on Thursday. But I am already looking at what to do if I have to spend my honeymoon in the UK.
well if you don't know...

suggest you follow mr Squires' example, but not with a Donkey nor in a barn....

[Daniel]

well if you don't know...

suggest you follow mr Squires' example, but not with a Donkey nor in a barn....
With a horse? :mark:

[markabilly]

With a horse? :mark:

Don't know. Never met his bride.....

[donKey jote]

:up: :laugh:

[Mark]

I'm due to fly out on Thursday 29th April. I've been in contact with our travel insurance company (LloydsTSB) Apparently if our flight is grounded due to the ash cloud, we are not covered at all. We're totally on our own :mad:

[GridGirl]

I was at a wedding this weekend and the honeymoon appears to be in jepordy at the moment. I suspect there will be a few tears before the week is out. Mark, I have no idea how much you've paid for your honeymoon but at least it wasn't two weeks in the Maldives with sea plane transfers and all that malarky like my friends.

I think i'd rather have a holiday cancelled than be stranded somewhere with no money, dirty clothes and only a vague idea of a date of when I might be able to get home. :s

[Mark]

I was at a wedding this weekend and the honeymoon appears to be in jepordy at the moment. I suspect there will be a few tears before the week is out. Mark, I have no idea how much you've paid for your honeymoon but at least it wasn't two weeks in the Maldives with sea plane transfers and all that malarky like my friends.

Ouch. Yeah, if it turns out I can't go at all and I can't make alternative arrangements such as driving there.. Then we'll get the money back from the flight, obviously. The hire car can be cancelled without penalty, not sure about the airport parking. The only problem is the hotel, which would leave us around £800 out of pocket. Enough to mean that if we can't get there, we won't be able to afford to have a holiday in the UK instead.



I think i'd rather have a holiday cancelled than be stranded somewhere with no money, dirty clothes and only a vague idea of a date of when I might be able to get home. :s

True indeed!

[BeansBeansBeans]

I have some friends stranded in Kuala Lumpur. They've been informed that the next flight back into the UK is May 5th. Nightmare. Sorry to hear your honeymoon might be cancelled Mark. How about a long weekend in Whitley Bay?

[MrJan]

I've got a friend who spent 3 months in New Zealand. He had to buy a car to get about and had trouble selling it. In the end his girlfriend left on the date they planned and he stayed behind to sell the car, those 2 or 3 days it took to sell mean that he's now stranded in Hong Kong (by a stroke of luck his old man lives out there anyway). TBH I wouldn't be too fussed hanging about if I wasn't paying for a hotel room or owt.

Nasty to be waiting on the news Mark, especially as flights will probably be disrupted for a long time anyway as they try to sort out the backlog. All in all I'm glad that I had my holiday last month.

[Mark]

On the BBC website


1244 Geoff Mayes, stuck in Istanbul writes:
I was over in Turkey covering a motor rally but am now stranded here. The organisers appear oblivious to our plight. It is a fiasco and we are rapidly running out of money! What evidence do we have that the ash actually damages the engines?


Now that was nearly J4MIE! I believe he had originally planned to go there.

[MrJan]

Now that was nearly J4MIE! I believe he had originally planned to go there.

Serves the lot of them right, clogging up my Facebook with pictures of wonderful rallies and safaris that I'll probably never get to see :p : :D

[Daniel]

Serves the lot of them right, clogging up my Facebook with pictures of wonderful rallies and safaris that I'll probably never get to see :p : :D
Agreed! That'll learn 'em :p

[race aficionado]

Ouch. Yeah, if it turns out I can't go at all and I can't make alternative arrangements such as driving there.. Then we'll get the money back from the flight, obviously. The hire car can be cancelled without penalty, not sure about the airport parking. The only problem is the hotel, which would leave us around £800 out of pocket. Enough to mean that if we can't get there, we won't be able to afford to have a holiday in the UK instead.


I'm rooting for you Mark.
Here's hoping that all turns out well and that eventually you will soon be able to take your well deserved honeymoon trip with your loving bride.
:)
:s mokin:

[Mark in Oshawa]

Run To The Hills !!!!!!!!!
Run For Your Lives :d :d :d

A little rock n' roll to add some levity?? lol

[Mark in Oshawa]

I do think British Airways was getting fed up. I heard on our news they are questioning things, but then I have read other reports of two F18's out of Finland coming down with engines with damage.

I just hope something breaks soon. This could wipe out some airlines, not to mention messing up Mark's Honeymoon....

[driveace]

Is British Airways getting worried now,as all the flights they lost with the unfinished air crew strike,and now the 3/4/5/days of no fly with the Icelandic Volcano situation,they must have lost millions so far this year.
Are their shares dropping ?

[bowler]

the answers would have to be

Yes, Yes and Yes

Disaster for all airlines

[veeten]

I have some friends stranded in Kuala Lumpur.

Stuck with Lumpy Koalas, you say? Oh, dear... ;) :p

[Eki]

Stuck with Lumpy Koalas, you say? Oh, dear... ;) :p

I like koalas.

[Roamy]

For Christ sake now the Islams are going to be blowing up all the volcanoes!!

[J4MIE]

On the BBC website


1244 Geoff Mayes, stuck in Istanbul writes:
I was over in Turkey covering a motor rally but am now stranded here. The organisers appear oblivious to our plight. It is a fiasco and we are rapidly running out of money! What evidence do we have that the ash actually damages the engines?


Now that was nearly J4MIE! I believe he had originally planned to go there.


Indeed if I hadn't found a cheap(ish) flight to Australia then I would currently be stranded in Istanbul with Geoff. Latest that he is saying is that it's nearly impossible to get a bus or train as they are all full!

Still not sure whether I'm glad I'm not there or if I'm sad I'm missing out on such an adventure!

Such a shame though that so many people are really, really struggling and who knows what will happen when people run out of money and/or reach the limit of their credit cards..... shame on the airlines that are not fulfilling their obligations!! :hmph:

[Sonic]

Forgive me if this has been asked and answered elsewhere (but I couldn't see it) but if its the particles of ash that are the problem to the jets then is it not possible to fly lower and slower? The cloud is at lowest 10,000ft as I understand it, so does anyone know if its feasible?

Also, are turbo prop planes affected? I've seen plenty of single engined planes from my local grass strip in the air - obviously well bellow the ash and therefore safe I assume. So could short haul turbo props be sent back into cross channel action?

[Brown, Jon Brow]

I would quite like the idea of being rescued by the Navy. Sailing into Portsmouth on HMS Ark Royal would be a funny feeling. I'd pretend I was a war hero :laugh:

[BTCC Fan#1]

http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/gsl/geoscientist/features/page7585.html

Interesting article on the effects of volcanic ash on jet engines, as well as an account of the famous 'BA flight 009' incident from 1982.

[Rollo]

http://images.cheezburger.com/completestore/2010/4/18/129161315168509959.jpg

[markabilly]

http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/gsl/geoscientist/features/page7585.html

Interesting article on the effects of volcanic ash on jet engines, as well as an account of the famous 'BA flight 009' incident from 1982.

More than interesting....

BTW, unlike an f16, passenger jets do not have ejection seats :(

and depends on the engine type, as turbos would be affected, far more than conventional piston engines, but the potential is there for both as well since too much times in that stuff is a bit like being in a sandstorm or worse and can ruin any engine after enough exposure.

the trick is to fly and avoid it....but i think if i were mark :( , I would be trying to find a barn....... :D

[Eki]

but i think if i were mark
I thought you were Mark, not from Oshawa though.

[Rollo]

and depends on the engine type, as turbos would be affected, far more than conventional piston engines,

http://www.euronews.net/2010/04/19/molten-glass-found-in-f-greater-than6-fighter-jet-s-engine/
A build-up of glass has been found in the engine of a Nato F-16 fighter jet after it flew through an unidentified section of European airspace.
When volcanic ash particles are ingested into a jet engine, they accumulate and clog the fuel lines with molten glass.

A large engine like a Rolls-Royce Trent 900 has a fan tip of 9ft 8in across. That sort of area is far larger than what you'd find on an F-16, and there are four of them on an Airbus A380.

To be honest, I wouldn't really want to be within earshot when a 70,000 lbf engine decides to rip itself to pieces because it had ingested material to build up glass inside itself. The numbers alone are staggering.

[Mark]

Is British Airways getting worried now,as all the flights they lost with the unfinished air crew strike,and now the 3/4/5/days of no fly with the Icelandic Volcano situation,they must have lost millions so far this year.
Are their shares dropping ?

They were already on the edge as it is!

[Tomi]

They were already on the edge as it is!

Some of the lousier run flight companies are crying for governments to pay the bill already, i hope that wont happen.

[Sonic]

I can see a plane! Very high up - 35,000ft at a guess. How exciting!

[Mark in Oshawa]

I think the Air Forces of Europe will be monitoring it and the second they figure it is safe, they will cut the airlines loose. No one wants the national carriers to go down. All I know is people have to realize we live in a world we cannot control. We are probably lucky more of these situations haven't happened.

[Ghostwalker]

I do think British Airways was getting fed up. I heard on our news they are questioning things, but then I have read other reports of two F18's out of Finland coming down with engines with damage.

I just hope something breaks soon. This could wipe out some airlines, not to mention messing up Mark's Honeymoon....

here you go:

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/04/16/340727/pictures-finnish-f-18-engine-check-reveals-effects-of-volcanic.html

also this article: http://www.volvoaero.com/volvoaero/global/en-gb/newsmedia/press_releases/actual/Pages/Default.aspx

explains what the ash does with jet engines.

[figjam]

If you must travel cattle class this is the way to do it. We've just had 2 really good flights, Doha to Singapore had about 70 people in a brand new 777, heaps of room and Qantas QF10 from Singapore to Melbourne seemed to have fewer than that on a 747, we streched out over the 4 middle seats and slept.

This was because we were going the 'other' way, back to Oz away from the ash clouds.
I think we were the only people who were actually meant to be on the Qantas flight, some I spoke to had flown back from Singapore as they were unable to make it to Europe, Qantas gave them free flight back to Oz and they can rebook their trips to Europe later if they want.

Actually we can't complain about others getting free flights as we 'paid' for our tickets with frequent flyer points.

I just hope all these problems don't case the value of my qantas shares to drop too much....

[Daniel]

Does anyone know if I can get any shares in Pratt and Whitney and Rolls Royce?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8633597.stm

I do hope that we don't see any crashes or incidents from this...

[Mark in Oshawa]

here you go:

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/04/16/340727/pictures-finnish-f-18-engine-check-reveals-effects-of-volcanic.html

also this article: http://www.volvoaero.com/volvoaero/global/en-gb/newsmedia/press_releases/actual/Pages/Default.aspx

explains what the ash does with jet engines.

I know what Ash does to jet engines. I am saying that the Civil aviation authorities had to have made this decision based on something more than conjecture and pressure from the airlines. I don't think British Airways was jonesing to go up there and fry up some Rolls Royce Turbine blades for fun. Also, if anyone thinks it is unsafe, they are quite welcome to take the train or a boat or drive. No one is putting a gun on anyone's head. We will know within a few days if this was the right call.

[Mark]

Does anyone know if I can get any shares in Rolls Royce?


Since it's a publicly traded company, yes, you can just buy them. Go right ahead!

[GridGirl]

I had to laugh at Laurence Llewlyn-Bowen moaningabout he'd been stranded in Mauritius for 5 days with no way home. Pah, I've spent weeks on the island not allowed to go home. At least it's got all mod con's these days like proper toilets. Hell, it's even got a McDonalds now. My smpathy for him was wearing a little thin by the end of the interview. :p

Mark, at least your honeymoon is looking a little more promising now. :)

[Mark]

Mark, at least your honeymoon is looking a little more promising now. :)

Yep! Hopefully! As long as we get out there. Being stuck there for a few days on the way back won't be so bad ;)

[Dave B]

I had to laugh at Laurence Llewlyn-Bowen moaningabout he'd been stranded in Mauritius for 5 days with no way home. Pah, I've spent weeks on the island not allowed to go home. At least it's got all mod con's these days like proper toilets. Hell, it's even got a McDonalds now. My smpathy for him was wearing a little thin by the end of the interview. :p
Can we organise a whip-round and send him back?

[Dave B]

Nice to see our esteemed tabloids not causing unnecessary panic or alarm:


http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Media/Pix/pictures/2010/4/21/1271846468785/Daily-Star---21-April-201-007.jpg

What they fail to mention is the story is 28 years old and refers to the BA flight mentioned earlier in this thread. Nice :rolleyes:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/apr/21/airports-pull-daily-star

[Daniel]

Nice to see our esteemed tabloids not causing unnecessary panic or alarm:


http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Media/Pix/pictures/2010/4/21/1271846468785/Daily-Star---21-April-201-007.jpg

What they fail to mention is the story is 28 years old and refers to the BA flight mentioned earlier in this thread. Nice :rolleyes:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/apr/21/airports-pull-daily-star
I wasted my 20p :p I was in the Co-op for lunch and bought one as I was in a hurry. I did think it was a little strange but didn't have time to mull over it :p

[Langdale Forest]

The Daily Star is a waste of paper IMO.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Since planes are NOT falling out the sky...I guess the authorities and airlines made the right call eh?

[Daniel]

Since planes are NOT falling out the sky...I guess the authorities and airlines made the right call eh?
Like I said Mark, lets see a week or two from now and lets see if there are flights getting cancelled because aircraft aren't fit to go back up. If the airlines are doing the right thing with checks I doubt we'll see any aircraft falling from the sky tbh.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Like I said Mark, lets see a week or two from now and lets see if there are flights getting cancelled because aircraft aren't fit to go back up. If the airlines are doing the right thing with checks I doubt we'll see any aircraft falling from the sky tbh.

Well your point to me was that this was a bad idea. I am just of the opinion that choice in the end is really up to the airlines once the government authorities give them the green light. They don't like replacing jet engines I am sure. This however, isn't anything to do with safety now really. It all comes down to the airlines willing to operate carefully to ensure they don't lose some engines due to damage or wear.

[veeten]

I wasted my 20p :p I was in the Co-op for lunch and bought one as I was in a hurry. I did think it was a little strange but didn't have time to mull over it :p

now, it wouldn't happen to have to do with the bit about nudie pics of the "Doctor Who" babe, now would it? ;) :p

[AAReagles]

I've heard of the wrong kind of snow, or leaves on the line - but giant killer ash cloud is a new one on me. The number of people affecterd by this is just nutts...

That's probably what some seismologists at Mt. St. Helens were thinking too, when they were (at different locations) from anywhere of 6-20 miles if I recall correctly... two or three of them got killed while they thought they were still at a safe distance to take pictures.

It was a fairly active volcano like this one, but it was mostly venting steam until it finally blew sometime in May 1981. Not no expert myself, of course, but the fact that it blew out the whole (north ?) side - after seeing it on TV and mags- was impressive enough for me to believe how dangerous those things are. At the time, we were living Eugene, Ore., which was only 200+ miles, and when it blew there was a loud thud followed up by the windows rattling. The folks couldn't figure out what happened and thought that us kids were up and about raising hell in the bedroom. Then we turned on the TV...

People here in Cali are only concerned about earthquakes, myself I more worried about Mono Lake if it ever decides to go. I'll take my chances of dealing with a little shake, than bake.

What I dig about this volcano is that it's another suttle reminder that mankind isn't so mighty after all.

Also duly noted of course by the oil rig that sank off the coast of Louisiana on 22 April, on Earth Day of all days.

[edv]

Sorry but I had to post this pic...I LOL'd in my pants!

http://i.imgur.com/9oP0i.jpg

[Dave B]

Peeved that the UK only gave them 4 points in Eurovision, Iceland seems to once again be spewing ash in our direction.



A volcanic ash cloud from Iceland is expected to reach parts of the UK by the early hours of Tuesday morning, the Met Office has said.

It does not mean there will definitely be airspace closures but makes flight disruption more likely, it said.

The Grimsvotn volcano in Iceland is experiencing its largest eruption in 100 years.

The event comes a year after ash from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano spread across Europe, causing huge disruption.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13498477

Hoorah - look forward to another round of politicians blaming each other for a totally natural event, a load of misreporting and blatent BS from the media, and a slew of customers unhappy that their airline didn't put them up in a 5-star hotel despite only paying £9 for their plane ticket. Or, quite possibly, a hysterical over-reaction to a total non-event.

[Mark]

Looks like it is a non-event this time. They are talking about a 100 mile exclusion zone and after that it's safe to fly. Unlike last time I've got no plans to fly anywhere at the moment!

[Dave B]

BBC news: Loganair are cancelling almost all of their 40 flights in Scotland tomorrow due to ash cloud disruption :s

[Sonic]

Based on what I've just read the 'type' of ash is different this time around and should fall to earth faster than before. There will likely be disruption, but hopefully lessons have been learnt and those disruptions van be kept to a minimum.