Some Flights To Europe May Be Canceled Due To Ash On Friday Too

Thank you for the update Ken! My gosh, this is so freaky! The airlines are in enough trouble, and now this. I wonder if anyone here on this forum is affected by all this. I imagine some of the Rick Steves tours are put on hold during this time.

According to the news this morning, there will be 1700 flights cancelled today, affecting hundreds of thousands of passengers.

One Air Transat flight made it out of Glasgow this morning, as a "window" opened up in the ash cloud. There are reportedly some flights in & out of Ireland, but only local "short haul" flights.

Most of the major airports in northern Europe are still closed, including CDG, FRA, London Airports and those in Scandinavia. The airport authorities mentioned that they may open up "VIP airspace" to allow world leaders to travel to the funeral of the Polish President.

Apparently, the last time the Volcano in Iceland erupted, it stayed active for a year! Hopefully that's not the case this time!

*EDIT - actually, the figure may have been 17,000 flights!

I'm in Europe now and wondering if I'll be able to get home. I have two weeks before my flight is scheduled to leave LHR. Trains seem to be running in France, and I'm all set with a Eurostar ticket for Paris-London. So far, I haven't started really worrying, just watching CNN and keeping up with developments.

You just keep having a great time and please don't worry. I'm sure in two weeks everything could be back to normal!

Ash Friday?

"Some Flights To Europe May Be Canceled Due To Ash On Friday Too"

Yeah, like my flight! I was supposed to arrive in Brussels tomorrow... now, assuming the airspace opens up in time, I won't arrive until Thursday.

At least I'm ranting from the comfort of my own home, and I'm not stuck in an airport.

My daughter and several of her high school classmates are waiting anxiously to see if they'll get out of Boston for their spring break trip to France tomorrow. They're scheduled to stop in Iceland first. What do you think their chances are?

Ashley,

I suspect their chances of getting a flight (especially one that stops in Iceland) is just about nil!

I'm supposed to head for Europe in mid-May, so I'm getting a bit worried also. That may sound like a long way in the future, but it's only about three weeks away.

One thing that concerns me is that reports today stated that there's another Volcano (Katla?) very close to the existing one, and it's LARGER. The scientists are watching that one closely!

The airlines are losing about $200 million a day! Hopefully this doesn't last long.

Good luck (to all of us)!

According to BBC News, at this point, scientists in Iceland do not see any data that suggests that Kata will errupt as a result of the current volcanic activity.

This is all so very sad. Rick Steves is lucky he got out of London on time!
Neil, you are so funny!

It's not looking too good for a Friday arrival in Inverness. Aside from the problem with getting to London, getting to Inverness will be even harder. I've got a reservation on a train, but unless I get into London, it's kind of moot. Scheduling a flight to Inverness will be even tougher, United airlines doesn't go there, I might reschedule to May or June (not looking forward to the UK in June, all the other tourists!) (And United says that changes erase your prior reservation,)
PS: I've been tracking the status of uk airports by tapping into the arrvials/departure info from the airport website. United's website is kind of thin.

Well, I'm sure anyone who is due to travel is up to date on the state of things, but here on the UK news they have just announced that it may well be at least 4 days before any flights will be allowed.

Looking at a map of the ash cloud this morning, it appeared that Spain is clear; so I suppose if you're stuck somewhere in Europe trying to get back to N. America, it would be worth seeing if you can get a train to Spain and then a flight from there.
That's just my thoughts on the subject.

This just in. Ryanair is eager to start flying, and they want you to experience the full volcano experience. For a 2 euro fee, they'll clean your window so you can see the ash. It's called the Ryanair Ash Wipes.

oh Karen, you are so bad. I think we are going to have to send you to live in Wales near to where Neil is going. They know how to deal with folks like you 2.

I'm supposed to leave for vacation to England on Thursday and we are anxiously watching the news hoping we can still go. I guess we should be grateful that we are stuck at home and not in an airport...but still I'm ready ready ready for a vacation.

I posted this in transportation too, but it's a reminders.

ARRIVE EARLY! Flights are packed now as they try to deal with the disruption. Lines will be LONG as disrputed passengers try to get rebooked etc. If you are not checked in and at the gate on time, your seat could easily "disappear" for one of the numerous standbys!

ARRIVE EARLY!

I'm scheduled to leave (LAX->Chicago->Heathrow on Tuesday, so I'm watching the news! United has made an offer to reschedule. Unfortunately my schedule requires that I be in Inverness on Friday at 9am for a photo workshop! What does everyone of the idea of waiting until Sunday noon (PDT) and if there is no change by then, just rescheduling for the future?

Alan, I believe I'd re-schedule. The airports here are definitely all closed til 7 am Sunday and the the forecast is not optimistic.

Alan, some of the airports in Scotland are allowing flights from North America. See if the airline can route you to Glasgow--if it's opened.

(Since you're going to Inverness, Glasgow is much easier than London.)

Well, they have closed all airports again and on the last BBC news bulletin a few minutes again, they're thinking it might be Wednesday before anything happens. I think they just don't know and it depends on the winds in the upper atmosphere.

By the way, a friend of mine in the States sent me an email asking if we are covered in ash here in the UK- well, not so far! In fact it's been a lovely sunny day.

We are planning to leave Charlotte, NC on friday 23 April with a layover on saturday in Frankfurt, then into Florence, Italy later on saturday morning...Anyone want to give us odds on our ability to travel ? Also, I've gone ahead and emailed all our hotels/B&B's to assess cancellation fees...I'd be willing to bet if we end up "eating" an entire 2-weeks of fee's etc..for cancelling..that the "Rick Steves" family might rise in umbrage...we only book recommended places via his book(s)...thoughts anyone ?

Alan, no airline flies into Inverness. There are two airports in Scotland that get flights from North America--Glasgow and Edinburgh. Both are easy train rides to Inverness--and about 3 hours closer than London.

While United may not fly into the area, one of their partner airlines might. Why not call United and ask. You may lose your train reservation from London, but you'll lose that anyway.

Do steamer ships still leave from New York harbour?

I was going to Europe again this year. This would have been six years in a row! But only today I booked a trip to Buenos Aries Argentina!!! But who knows, maybe an earthquake. Things happen anyplace, but I always wanted to go there anyway and Tango! If anyone has been there, please email me to let me know how you liked it. Thanks!

I have a British Airways flight leaving Los Angeles 28 April bound for London and then on to Barcelona. I am really stuck as to what do do because I could not care less about London, I just need to get to Barcelona. Now that Barcelona appears shut down I am thinking about Rome and then a ferry across the Med to Barcelona, that is of course if Rome stays open. Failing that plan...Athens??? All I want to do is get to Spain, if the volcano traps me over there then I'd be happy for the extra time with my friends but not knowing what to do is killing me.

In perhaps a bit of good news, KLM and Swiss have conducted successful test flights. Hopefully that means some of you might be able to catch your flights soon!

Karen-Ryanair Ash Wipes? TOO TOO FUNNY!!!!!

@ Anna

that's very good news. especially since im flying swiss airlines on the 26th!

NATS (the uk air controller) has posted on their website (www.nats.co.uk) that UK airspace will be continue to be closed until at least 1900 on Monday (local uk time). They are scheduled to do an update at 0300 (local uk time), so by 7pm (PDT) there may be a change. (I've learned more in the last two days about the air traffic control system then I thought possble!! I love original sources like NATS!)

Thanks Alan for the info. I am leaving in 2 weeks and am obsessed with updates! My friend said to me today. "Wow, a volcano erupted? Planes aren't flying, I had no idea". I am so thankful for this board because at least I have other "friends" who are watching every little bit of news like I am! Thanks again!

Oh yes, Lisa, you are not alone! I'm quite sure there are several of us checking the updates constantly every chance we get!

You're welcome Lisa! I was getting tired of trying to ferret out info from the rumors in most news reports. I'm using a combination of NATS and a website which shows flight arrivals/departures by airport to try and figure out my plans. Good luck in your travels!

Just to update my experience, United kept sending emails that the flight to London was still on, right up until I got to the ticket counter. (The automated phone flight status also showed the flight was a go.) But the flight was cancelled, it was reissued for the 29th, but just a placeholder for now.

The British Airways flight I am flying on [hopefully]next week, which leaves LAX every night at 2130, left on time (actually it left 16 minutes late) for London this evening. This is the first BA flight from LAX to London in 6 days! It is supposed to arrive at Heathrow at 1600 (zulu) so I'll be watching to see if it made it or got diverted. As long as it sets down somewhere in Europe it will be good enough for me!