Volcanic ash cloud cripples Britain, apparently...

[Holdfast]

The thing I'm curious about is why this doesn't happen more often. Volcanic ash SIGMETs aren't that uncommon. Was it just the widely dispersed nature of this particular cloud?

The ash is usually ejected way higher into the atmosphere. The glacier in the way of this one meant the ash only got up as far as jet cruising altitude.

Anyway, good to see airspace re-opening. My boss is still stuck abroad though, unable to get back. It's been a pleasant time...

 

[Captain Shaw]

Probably BS but this article says BA forced the government to reopen UK air space.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20100421/tuk-did-ba-brinkmanship-force-no-fly-u-t-45dbed5.html

BA boss Willie Walsh has attacked the airport jet ban - as suspicions grow his decision to send 26 UK-bound planes into the sky forced the Government's hand.

Is it possible for BA just to send planes into our airspace without getting into trouble?
I would think after 9/11 it would not be a good idea.

 

[Holdfast]

^ It was an aggressive negotiating position. They all had contingency plans to divert elsewhere if the government hadn't chosen to reconsider.

 

[captcalhoun]

yeah, but if all UK airspace is closed down, are the RAF able to send up Typhoons to intercept?

 

[Holdfast]

yeah, but if all UK airspace is closed down, are the RAF able to send up Typhoons to intercept?

nice one

 

[cultcross]

It was shut "except for emergencies". I daresay the RAF needing to scramble planes in that manner would qualify.

 

[Holdfast]

Well, obviously, but it's still a damn good gag from captcalhoun.

 

[captcalhoun]

thankee. i'm here all week, try the fish.

 

[Jadzia]

Probably BS but this article says BA forced the government to reopen UK air space.

If the article is correct, then I don't like that the government has allowed itself to be pushed around like that.

 

[Captain Shaw]

If its true I wonder if its possible that BA could be fined?

 

[Jadzia]

Since they gave in to their bullying I'm not sure there is a case for fining BA. If their planes had entered our airspace while the ban was in place, then that would have been a different matter. The pilots would bare the brunt of the law in that situation.

I think my policy on commercial flights would strictly be "we go only when the experts have completed their monitoring and risk assessments and conclude it to be safe."

The government is the one on the thin ice now, since they've presumably opened the airspace without the experts giving any green flag.

 

[Holdfast]

If its true I wonder if its possible that BA could be fined?

Hardly. BA didn't breach UK airspace with those 26 flights until officially cleared to do so. They simply sent them towards UK airspace. Classic brinkmanship negotiating, but since they all had contingency plans to reroute if UK airspace wasn't opened to them, I think BA are fine.

I kind of like Willie Walsh's style with this call, to be honest.

 

[publiusr]

Any news of ocean travel? A lot of freighters do offer limited berths aboard ship.

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