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Icelandic volcanic ash alert grounds UK & European flights

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i was on PH-BVD last Saturday to CGK....according to the crews they are doing a shuttle service between KUL-CGK until they can proceed to AMS. The flight will stay overnite in KUL. The flight experience was still great even with no earphones and only basic catering bcoz the crew said they didn't have any fresh supplies due to the plane that cannot return to AMS.

 

p/s: now in CGK waiting for return flight to KUL with KL 810.....

 

I was due to leave Kuala Lumpur on Thursday April 15th on KL810, also on Skyteam PH-BVD. Went to the airport twice, only to learn my flight was cancelled on both occasions. On the first occasion we were already at the gate, but were not allowed into the waiting area until finally some gate agents told us the night's flight's been cancelled, there wasn't even a PA announcement unlike a couple of MH flights that were due to depart before us. Wished there were more seats down the corridor, those without seats were either sitting on their trolleys or on the floor <_< . Decided to change my booking to the next available flight, and was rebooked to 25th April after holding on the line for 20 minutes. Had to call KLM Jakarta, I just couldn't reach their office in KL. By the way PH-BVD was the same aircraft that flew me to KUL last month!

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Zurich airport opened at 8am CET today. However, a lot of flights are still cancelled. A Swiss spokesperson said that their first priority is to get everyone home. For that they need to reposition their aircraft and crew as well. It would be a few days before things get to normal.

 

Getting to normal is a bit of a challenge though. Latest news said that the volcano is becoming more active again!

 

I am due to fly this Thursday (22nd) from ZRH-SIN, and that is followed by another 9 flights over the next 3 weeks. If I don't make it on this flight, there will be a domino effect on the rest of my flights. Might as well cancel the whole trip. I was hoping to fly, but now I am thinking that if this goes on, coming back to Zurich as planned is not even a sure thing!

 

At least I can see that if that 380 doesn't leave Singapore on Wed. night, my Thursday flight is definitely cancelled.

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as of last night, PH-BVD was still seen idling on ground, together with a fleet of MH's 744s!

PH-BVD just sit idled or it performs the daily KUL-CGK vv sectors for KLM?

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Just got off the phone with a FedEx guy. They can deliver my package to me anytime today, I just have to tell them when. Expressing my suprise seeing as they can never say exactly when (apart from morning or afternoon), he said that they have no more packages to deliver today because nothing arrived in the past few days. Well, something positive for me, at least.

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Just got off the phone with a FedEx guy. They can deliver my package to me anytime today, I just have to tell them when. Expressing my suprise seeing as they can never say exactly when (apart from morning or afternoon), he said that they have no more packages to deliver today because nothing arrived in the past few days. Well, something positive for me, at least.

 

good for you..on the other hand we have backlogs of shipments waiting to be uplifted to and from CDG from CAN

to make things worse, not only European region affected, but the whole Africa as CDG is the hub for Africa as well.

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PH-BVD just sit idled or it performs the daily KUL-CGK vv sectors for KLM?

 

 

KLM update page

 

KL810 KUL-AMS appears on the list of active flights. Could it be PH-BVD?

 

Yes, PH-BVD has been doing the KUL-CGK-KUL runs since 16apr10, and was able to land @ SPL this morning (20apr) as one of the first longhaul flights ex KUL !!!

 

KLM and KLC are gradually starting up their operation again: most ICA flights will operate as from 21apr, but in Europe, all flights to the UK (incl. Scotland) as well as Northern Germany and the Nordic will be cancelled...

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I have something from the MH Rumour Department to share.

 

UPDATED AS OF 20 APRIL 2010, 5.45PM

 

MALAYSIA AIRLINES TO RESUME FLIGHTS TO EUROPE ON 21 APRIL

 

Subang, 20 April 2010: Malaysia Airlines plans to resume its scheduled flights to London, Paris, Amsterdam and Frankfurt for tomorrow, Wednesday, 21 April 2010.

 

This applies to the below flights:

 

On 21 April from Kuala Lumpur to:

 

London (MH4) retimed to depart 5.00pm

London (MH2) scheduled to depart 11.40pm

Amsterdam (MH16) scheduled to depart 11.55pm

Paris (MH20) scheduled to depart 11.35pm

Frankfurt (MH6) scheduled to depart 11.50pm

 

 

On 22 April to Kuala Lumpur from:

 

London (MH1) retimed to depart 6.00am

London (MH3) scheduled to depart 12.00noon

Amsterdam (MH17) scheduled to depart 12.00noon

Paris (MH21) scheduled to depart 12.00noon

Frankfurt (MH5) scheduled to depart 12.30pm

Scheduled flights to Rome are not affected and will operate as normal.

 

Only customers with confirmed bookings for travel on 21 April 2010 are advised to proceed to the airport. Stranded passengers should contact the dedicated telephone line 03-7884 1234 to re-book flights, subject to seat availability. Customers without confirmed seats are advised not to travel to the airport.

 

In addition, customers can still continue to call the MAS Call Center 1300-88-3000 (within Malaysia) or 603-7843 3000 (outside Malaysia).Customers who have mobile phones are encouraged to register their numbers with Malaysia Airlines for ease of notification via SMS.

 

Malaysia Airlines Director of Operations, Captain Azharuddin Osman said, “All efforts are being made to get our passengers to their final destinations as soon as possible. We are also looking to mount additional flights to London, Paris, Amsterdam and Frankfurt on Thursday, 22 April.

 

“However, passengers are advised to be mindful that the situation remains fluid and our flights will be subject to airspace and airports being open. Before proceeding to the airport, passengers are urged to check the flight status on www.malaysiaairlines.com or via the Call Centre,” he said.

 

From 15-20 April 2010, Malaysia Airlines would have cancelled 46 flights involving 14,000 passengers system-wide.

 

Ends

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just heard that all UK airspace is now open. For now that is. Many British flights returning to the UK.

 

It's a relief to hear that, surely to most passengers as well.

 

Am just wondering, since the 1991 incident with BA, hasn't anyone figured out a way to cope with volcanic ash in the sky. Surely, closing down IFR airspace, stranding passengers for days, isn't the way to out...

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Am just wondering, since the 1991 incident with BA, hasn't anyone figured out a way to cope with volcanic ash in the sky. Surely, closing down IFR airspace, stranding passengers for days, isn't the way to out...

 

Sure, they'll invent a volcanic ash radar.

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Latest Volcanic Ash related aircraft incidents?

 

By Miyuru ( K FLYER ) on April 21, 2010

 

Following incidents have been reported after the re-opening of UK airspace last night and are currently believed to have been caused by volcanic ash. But please note that these events are *still* under investigation.

 

A World Airways aircraft that flew from Maastricht to Ostend-Bruges was grounded due to ash found in engines. The engine reportedly suffered non-serious damage. The aircraft is currently being inspected.

 

A Thomas Cook 757, reg G-JMCF, on a positioning flight as TCX952P, returned to Manchester due to a loss of compressor bleed air from one engine after crew sensed an ‘intense smell of volcanic ash’ during the climb between FL160-FL200. The aircraft was out over the North Sea off Nofolk/Suffolk.

 

Notice: This author has the live ATC recording of the Thomson Cook incident, but will not be posting it here due to confidentiality and security issues.

 

http://www.airlineindustryreview.com/latest-volcanic-ash-related-aircraft-accidents/

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Is there any chances that Malaysia Airlines would operate an additional flight to the effected European ports to clear the passengers back-lock?From what I heard All London flights are all full even before the volcano incident.South African Airways is currently operating 1 B747-400 additional flight from the usual A340-300 n A340-600 just to clear the passengers back-lock based on Airliners net Forums.Posted this just to clear my doubt.

 

Kind Regards,

Haansel

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Is there any chances that Malaysia Airlines would operate an additional flight to the effected European ports to clear the passengers back-lock?From what I heard All London flights are all full even before the volcano incident.South African Airways is currently operating 1 B747-400 additional flight from the usual A340-300 n A340-600 just to clear the passengers back-lock based on Airliners net Forums.Posted this just to clear my doubt.

Maybe not additional flights but it was reported before that KUL-FCO vv will be using the B744 instead of the B772.

 

An additional info from the MH Rumour Department:

 

An MH plane (B744 I presume) successfully left FRA on Tuesday night at 2340 LT with 338 pax (including pax from SQ, CX). MH was first Asian Long Haul carrier to do so. Will arrive KUL 1730 LT Wednesday.

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More news from the MH Rumour Department.

 

MH plans extra flights, as follows:

 

2240 KUL-LHR 0450

2235 KUL-CDG 0540

2255 KUL-AMS 0535

2250 KUL-FRA 0530

 

*Subject to approval, traffic and demand*

No date mentioned. Could be today or tomorrow.

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Just wondering if there is enough parking space for the additional flight from MH as well as other airlines to fly in and pick up stranded passengers across Europe. Plus it would be a extremely busy airspace in Europe as stranded planes took to the sky and more extra flight coming in.

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I have something from the MH Rumour Department to share.

 

MH4 did indeed depart KUL at 1600+ today from Gate C17. B744 was filled to capacity. Pax drawn almost entirely from British citizens placed on waiting lists since last Thursday. MH have also confirmed that MH2 tonight will fly out as scheduled.

 

I would love to write more on the MH4 flight/MH2 flight/European citizens stranded in KLIA/extra European flights/the odd photo or two, as I was to some measure involved in MH4's departure and had been airside all day today (I work at a European embassy in Kuala Lumpur), but for the moment I can just confirm that as we speak, Malaysia Airlines (amongst other Asian operators) is joyously back in European skies!

 

There was also a KLM heavy docked at the C Terminal when I was there, and a special KLM check-in counter for the AMS flight had been set up in the departures hall. Lufthansa's scheduled 744 also landed at around 1800.

 

I also wanted to take a snapshot of the active baggage carrousel for the special MH0001S flight that had just touched in from Frankfurt, but unfortunately I had been passing by in a hurry... I haven't seen such a busy/congested baggage carrousel in a very long time!

 

On a personal note, great work by the KLIA staff today. They've really helped to get many stranded Europeans a big step closer to home.

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Congrats HC Chai. Glad that at least someone has a positive resolution.

 

KC Sim

 

Sorry to hear about your experience with KLM, KC. Hope you have now arrived safely in SIN. smile.gif

 

To be honest I was quite surprised too that SQ took the intiative to phone me up. The flight I was booked on also turns out to be the SQ's first Singapore-bound flight from Heathrow since the reopening of UK airspace.

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Sorry to hear about your experience with KLM, KC. Hope you have now arrived safely in SIN. smile.gif

 

I am still in Quito but has been rebooked to fly from Quito to Lima on TACA Peru (departing in about 12.5hrs). I will have to endure a 10-hour transit (but who knows what I might be able to photograph airside) before catching flight KL744 to Amsterdam.

 

And on Sunday, 25 April, I will board KL835 to Singapore and barring any unforseen circumstances, I should be home in the afternoon of 26 Apr. I must admit that I have never been this anxious to get home than this. I am lucky because when I was rebooked with the help of a friend in the Netherlands, there were at least 70 paxs at the KLM office in Quito looking desperate . . . and many more who do not even know where the KLM office in Quito is and were trying to contact the number of the call centre in Chile.

 

KC Sim

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"An MH plane (B744 I presume) successfully left FRA on Tuesday night at 2340 LT with 338 pax (including pax from SQ, CX). MH was first Asian Long Haul carrier to do so. Will arrive KUL 1730 LT Wednesday."

 

Did the pax choose to take MH or the airlines transfer their pax to MH?

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Just had a facebook update from MAS:

Malaysia Airlines will mounted an extra flight to/from Gatwick, London (LGW) on 23rd April

 

Looking forward to seeing a photo of MAS at LGW :)

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Just had a facebook update from MAS:

Malaysia Airlines will mounted an extra flight to/from Gatwick, London (LGW) on 23rd April

 

Looking forward to seeing a photo of MAS at LGW :)

 

Gatwick's not a slot-controlled airport like Heathrow is it?

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