Good news on volcanic ash

I'm thinking ash will be around for awhile. Fortunately, the airlines are figuring out how to work around it.

Worse case scenario, my direct flight might turn into a longer, rerouted version or may include a train/bus connection. I'm already determined to be happy with whatever happens.

"Restrictions being eased!!"

For now...

I read that the last time this volcano got going, it was active for a couple of years. No one knows, this is just speculation--but it may be more realistic to assume that the travel disruptions and uncertainty are something we're going to have to get used to.

If the airlines regularly start flying south of the shortest "great polar" routes they've always used, to avoid the ash clouds, flights will take longer if they're not able to fly the current shortest distance routes; and flying longer routes may put upward pressure on airfares, since the increased fuel cost is a significant component of airfare cost structure.

But no one knows. Maybe this will all be a temporary blip on the radar screen.