Jump to content
MalaysianWings - Malaysia's Premier Aviation Portal
H C Chai

Icelandic volcanic ash alert grounds UK & European flights

Recommended Posts

From The Borneo Post:

 

 

First flight after volcanic ash chaos arrives home

April 22, 2010, Thursday

 

SEPANG: The first Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight from Frankfurt, Germany arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Sepang, after several days of delays due to flight restrictions in Europe, following massive volumes of volcanic ash spewed from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland.

 

3073.jpg

 

GETTING UPDATES: Tengku Azmil (third right) asks the pilot of flight MH001S Captain Mohd Qasil Ismail about the journey from Frankfurt, Germany to Kuala Lumpur upon the crew arrival at Kuala Lumpur International Airport at Sepang. — Bernama photo

 

Flight MH001S, which was the first Asean carrier to operate flights out of Frankfurt, left the city at 11.40 on Tuesday night (Frankfurt time) with 338 passengers and arrived at KLIA at 5.25pm yesterday.

 

The passengers were delighted to have arrived here, despite the long hours of flight.

 

Malaysian Ganesh Sabaratnam, who was stranded in Frankfurt since Thursday night, said he was relieved he could finally leave the city.

 

He hoped other stranded passengers would find their way home, too.

 

“We are rather disappointed with the EU (European Union) and how they handled the whole situation. It was quite uncoordinated and not managed well, but I’m very happy to be back,” he said.

 

Dr Sharifah Fauziah Syed Mohamad of Kuala Lumpur, is grateful she arrived home safely after being stranded since Sunday afternoon.

 

She had attended a medical conference in Frankfurt.

 

She said she was anxious to return to her family.

 

Singaporean Terence Tan, 43, said all six of them in his group could not wait to get back after being stranded in Frankfurt from Friday, after attending a lighting fair.

 

“It’s (the flight) a very sudden thing, it’s very rushed but we feel happy that we are back,” he said.

 

The flight captain, Captain Mohamad Qabil Ismail, said although Frankfurt was pleasant, everyone was anxious to get home and were thankful they arrived home yesterday.

 

“We departed on special clearance…The dust level was only below 10,000 feet so we were cruising 31,000 feet and were doing well.

 

“We are trained to do the necessary so everybody was prepared for it. All 23 flight crew knew exactly what had to be done in case of any eventuality but thank God, it didn’t happen,” he said.

 

MAS managing director/chief executive officer Datuk Tengku Azmil Zahruddin said the airline kept close contact with the European authorities to ensure they were up-to-date with the latest news, in terms of airspace re-opening. — Bernama

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Does anyone know how to pronounce 'Eyjafjallajokull'? A bit mouthful to say.

 

I just blindly prononunce it like this 'Eyyafyallayokull'. Although there is more correct translation I found somewhere...Those TV news persons must find it hard to pronounce it for the first time though... :rolleyes:

Edited by Alif A. F.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Haha good one Waipy. good one lmao :rofl:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Apparently aiyah-yalah-youcall is not a biggie...there are others hundreds/thousands worst...

 

158703891.jpg

 

 

Damage to a/c...

 

158672670.jpg

 

158613373.jpg

Edited by Denny Yen

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Shannon/Dublin is close tomorrow ( 14th May ) due Volcano Ash cloud for 2nd time..

 

New ash-cloud threat to Dublin and Shannon flights

 

 

03/05/2010 - 17:50:22

The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) has warned that Dublin, Shannon and some regional northern airports may see flight restrictions tomorrow.

 

North easterly winds are causing the volcanic ash cloud to drift south and, potentially, back into Irish airspace.

 

"Current information from the Volcanic Ash Advice Centre (VAAC) suggests that a no-fly zone may have to be imposed over Ireland tomorrow that may affect Dublin, Shannon and some regional airports," the IAA said in a statement.

 

The IAA expects a further update from the VAAC at 8pm and will make a decision then concerning operations at Irish airports and Irish airspace.

 

Over-flights of Ireland from the UK and Europe are not expected to be impacted tomorrow and southern UK Airports (Heathrow etc ) are not expected to be impacted. Flights originating from Irish airports may be affected.

 

Those intending to travel have been advised to contact their airlines' websites after 8.30pm for information.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Another interesting read: http://industry.bnet.com/travel/10005764/volcanopalypse-ironically-icelandair-outperforms-other-european-carriers/

 

Volcanic Surprise: Icelandair Made Crisis Management Look Easy

By Brett Snyder | Apr 27, 2010

 

icelandair-300x185.jpg

 

And you thought the volcano situation was over and done with, right? Not quite. The aftermath of the Icelandic eruption will continue for a long time, and we’re starting to see a strong division between carriers. The strong are getting more creative while the weak are looking for handouts. The most interesting to me has been the case of Icelandair, which worked wonders over the last couple weeks.

 

In terms of creativity, Icelandair has been the most impressive. When airports throughout Europe were closed, Iceland’s main airport in Keflavik remained open. From there, Icelandair operated a strategic mission every day. One day, Trondheim airport in way northern Norway opened, so they sent the fleet over there with several flights. Another day, they thought Heathrow would open so they scheduled the flights. When it didn’t, they sent the planes to Edinburgh instead. I would say that Icelandair probably served its passengers better than anyone.

 

But after the volcano threat died down in Europe, shifting winds actually shut Keflavik for a few days. Uh oh, that’s the end of their work, right? Not so fast. Instead of just calling it quits, Icelandair opened a makeshift hub in Glasgow. Flights from the US went to Glasgow, where passengers could then connect to other parts of Europe. They even sent flights from Akureyri on the other side of Iceland to Glasgow so people could get to their destinations, if they were willing to endure a bus ride from Reykjavik.

 

The whole time this was happening, Icelandair made masterful use of Twitter and kept Icelandair.com up to date for all stranded travelers. For some people from the US who weren’t able to get to their destination in Europe, Icelandair provided a first night’s hotel and meals in Iceland.

 

Of course, it’s a lot easier for little Icelandair and its fleet of fewer than 20 airplanes to have this kind of flexibility than a behemoth like Air France/KLM, but it’s impressive nonetheless. Air France operated a few flights out of Toulouse and Marseilles while British Airways tried to run a handful in Glasgow, but really, none of those efforts were even close to what Icelandair was able to accomplish.

 

People may resent Iceland and its unruly volcano right now, but they should have a lot of love for Icelandair.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Italy Shuts Northern Airports As Ash Cloud Moves In

 

May 9, 2010

 

Italy closed a large part of its airspace in the north of the country until at least the early afternoon on Sunday to counter the risk posed by volcanic ash coming from Iceland, the civil aviation authority ENAC said.

 

The block on flights began at 0600 GMT (0800 local time) and was expected to last until at least 1200 GMT.

 

The closure would not affect the airspace in the eastern part of northern Italy and the airports of Venice, Trieste and Rimini would remain open, ENAC said.

 

A bulletin issued on Sunday by the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre said the ash was expected to stay over Italy until Sunday evening.

 

Several Spanish airports in northern Spain including Barcelona reopened on Sunday after being shut on Saturday as a precaution against the ash cloud.

 

The Spanish civil aviation authority said only three airports remained closed, all in the north-western region of Galicia, and that these might open from about 0900 GMT. They were Santiago, La Coruna and Vigo.

 

Some 24,500 flights were expected to take place in Europe on Sunday, about 500 below average for this time of year due to the ash, European air traffic agency Eurocontrol said in Brussels.

 

"During the day, it is expected that the area affected by the ash cloud will shrink and most of the airports that are currently closed are expected to open later," it said.

 

Trans-atlantic flights remain affected and are required to make significant rerouting, leading to some delays, the statement said.

 

"However significant numbers of cancellations have not occurred," it added.

 

The number of flights in Europe on Saturday totalled 22,424, about 200 below normal levels, Eurocontrol said.

 

The Spanish government has warned that the country's airspace could be hit again in the coming week, depending on the trajectory of the ash cloud.

 

Ireland expects to impose restrictions to traffic at western airports later on Sunday as ash from the Icelandic volcano drifts back over the country.

 

In Portugal, the airport in the country's second city, Porto, was shut until midday (1000 GMT), while the French aviation authority said some 30 flights from Paris to southern Europe were cancelled, although French skies were open.

 

(Reuters)

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Ireland Expects Air Restrictions Due To Ash

 

May 9, 2010

 

Ireland expects to impose restrictions to traffic at western airports later on Sunday as an ash plume from an Icelandic volcanic eruption drifts back over Ireland.

 

The Irish Aviation Authority said the ash cloud, which had encircled Ireland from the west in a crescent shape running from Northern Scotland to Northern Spain, would approach the island again as winds change direction.

 

Restrictions would be phased in gradually at airports in the west of the country from 1400 GMT, the IAA said, without detailing what the restrictions would be.

 

(Reuters)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Ash Disrupts Airspace, Germany, Italy Reopen

 

May 10, 2010

 

Italy and Germany reopened their airspace on Sunday after volcanic ash forced hundreds of flights to be cancelled, leaving restrictions in place in parts of Portugal, Spain, Austria and the UK.

 

Southern German airports in Munich, Stuttgart and some regional airstrips reopened on Sunday evening and German air traffic control body DFS said it did not expect German air space to be affected by the cloud on Monday.

 

Austrian aviation agency Austro Control said it would shut down the nation's airports, most of them until early Monday morning, while its British equivalent NATS said airfields in the Scottish islands also closed on Sunday.

 

Some 24,500 flights were expected in European airspace on Sunday, about 500 below average for this time of year, air traffic agency Eurocontrol said in Brussels.

 

Trans-atlantic flights remain affected and are required to undergo significant rerouting, leading to some delays, the agency said earlier in a statement. "However, significant numbers of cancellations have not occurred."

 

Italian airports reopened from 1200 GMT on Sunday, following closure of a large part of the airspace in the north of the country in the morning, the civil aviation authority ENAC said.

 

Airports in the eastern part of northern Italy and in Venice, Trieste and Rimini had remained open, ENAC said.

 

Several northern Spanish airports, including Barcelona, reopened on Sunday after being shut on Saturday. But the Spanish civil aviation authority said a change in the direction of the ash cloud had forced them to close seven airports as of 1400 GMT: Asturias, Santander, Bilbao, Salamanca, Valladolid, Leon and Burgos. All other airports were open.

 

Ireland expects to impose restrictions to traffic at western airports later on Sunday as ash from the Icelandic volcano drifts back over the country.

 

In Portugal, over 150 flights were cancelled as the airport in the country's second city, Porto, remained shut and was not expected to reopen until 0600 GMT, air traffic control said.

 

The French aviation authority said some 30 flights from Paris to southern Europe were cancelled, although French skies were open.

 

(Reuters)

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Hope it will stay away from Benelux and Northern-Europe as trip to Prague planned... :pardon:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Ash Cloud Moves Toward Southeast France

 

May 11, 2010

 

The area affected by volcanic ash from Iceland is expected to move northeast on Tuesday afternoon, cutting across the Iberian peninsula and into southeast France, European air traffic agency Eurocontrol said.

 

The ash will move at high altitudes and is not expected to affect airports, Eurocontrol said.

 

The ash cloud was affecting southern and central Spain as well as Portugal including the Canary Islands and Madeira on Tuesday morning, the agency said in a statement.

 

All airports on the Canary Islands, except Las Palmas, were closed on Tuesday morning as well as some airports in Morocco.

 

The areas of high ash concentration on high altitudes in the middle of the North Atlantic were dispersing, however, easing the previously difficult situation for trans-atlantic flights, Eurocontrol said.

 

The agency said it expected 29,000 flights on Tuesday, which was close to normal for this time of year. On Monday, there were 29,155 flights.

 

Separately, Morocco closed several airports on Tuesday as the cloud approached northwest Africa, its transport ministry said.

 

(Reuters)

 

-----------------------------------------------------------

 

Morocco Shuts Airports As Ash Cloud Nears Africa

 

May 11, 2010

 

Morocco closed several airports on Tuesday as the cloud of ash from a volcano in Iceland approached northwest Africa, the transport ministry said.

 

"The cloud of volcanic ash will reach part of Moroccan airspace in coming hours," the Equipment and Transport Ministry said in a statement. It said the closures were necessary "to ensure full security for passengers travelling this Tuesday."

 

It closed Morocco's main international hub of Casablanca and the capital Rabat from (0700-1200 GMT) and shut Tangier, Tetouan and Essaouira airports from (0400-1200 GMT).

 

The cloud of abrasive ash already forced the closure of several airports in Spain over the weekend and further disruption was possible there in coming days.

 

Emissions from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano forced sweeping closures of European airspace last month, disrupting travel for millions of passengers and costing airlines more than a billion euros of revenues.

 

(Reuters)

 

----------------------------------------------------------

 

Wow, that's quite some distance between Iceland and Morocco !!! :blink:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

New Ash Cloud Disrupts UK, Ireland Air Travel

 

May 16, 2010

 

A new cloud of ash from a volcano in Iceland triggered fresh disruptions in European air travel on Sunday, as Britain and Ireland closed major airports and a no-fly zone was imposed across southern parts of UK airspace.

 

The no-fly zone will affect Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport, and Gatwick from 0000 GMT to 0600 GMT on Monday as the high density of a volcanic ash cloud from Iceland drifts south, the National Air Traffic Service (NATS) said.

 

"The high density ash cloud continues to move further south in the early hours of tomorrow morning", it said in a statement.

 

Ash from the same volcano wreaked havoc on European air traffic last month, when some 100,000 flights were cancelled and left millions of passengers stranded.

 

Airports included in the no-fly zone include Heathrow, Gatwick and London City, as well as all airfields in Northern Ireland and airports in parts of Scotland, NATS said.

 

The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) said three northwestern airports were closed from early Sunday and hub Dublin would be shut from 1800 GMT until at least 1100 GMT on Monday, but indicated that the disruption might not last very long.

 

"The outlook later tomorrow looks better, I wouldn't be too optimistic for the early part of the day but the later part of the day looks better and as the week goes on, it should improve," IAA chief executive Eamon Brennan told national broadcaster RTE.

 

North Atlantic overflights through Irish-controlled airspace remain unaffected despite the cloud drifting over the country. Cork and Kerry, as well as Shannon -- an important stopover for flights to the United States -- are open until further notice.

 

Western airports Sligo and Ireland West (Knock), shut on Sunday, would re-open at 0800 GMT while Donegal would remain closed until at least 1100 GMT. Other airports, Galway and Waterford, would reopen at 0500 GMT, the IAA said.

 

"As a result of the disruption to UK airports we are running four additional services on Monday 17th May," Eurostar said, adding that an extra 3,500 seats would be available on routes linking London and Paris.

 

British rail operator Virgin Trains said it would provide an extra 7,000 seats, mainly on the Birmingham to Glasgow and Edinburgh, and London to Glasgow routes.

 

The UK government had warned that parts of British airspace might have to close until Tuesday with different areas including the southeast, where Heathrow is located, likely to be closed at different times.

 

Teeside, Leeds-Bradford, Blackpool, Sheffield, Manchester, Liverpool, Doncaster, Carlisle, Humberside and East Midlands airports fall within the no-fly zone, NATS said. Airports in the Isle of Man will also be affected.

 

TEST FLIGHTS

 

The volcano under the Eyjafjallajokull glacier in Iceland is continuing to erupt with no signs of the explosive activity about to end and an ash plume reaching heights of 25,000 feet (7,620 metres), Britain's Met Office said.

 

"The ash cloud is expected to clear the UK during Tuesday as southwesterly winds become established during Monday," it said.

 

The Met Office said that two aircraft, one from the UK and one from Germany, had flown to investigate the ash plume.

 

"In many areas the cloud was clearly visible to the naked eye and was described as "a grey-black layer"," it said. "The pilots... reported that "one should not fly into this layer"."

 

Elsewhere in Europe, German airlines' association said no restriction of German air traffic was expected due to the ash, and German airlines were operating flights as normal.

 

In the Netherlands, an Amsterdam Schiphol airport official said there were no expected closures in Dutch airspace.

 

(Reuters)

 

Cornelis is stuck in the UK, since his Easyjet flight LPL-AMS was cancelled !!! :blink:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Volcanic Ash Grounds 1,000 European Flights

 

May 17, 2010

 

Volcanic ash from Iceland grounded 1,000 flights and delayed hundreds of thousands of passengers in parts of northern Europe on Monday, although forecasters said the situation would improve during the week.

 

Several of Europe's busiest airports, including London Heathrow and Amsterdam Schiphol, were closed for several hours due to fears the ash could damage jet engines and bring down aircraft.

 

Eurocontrol, the European air traffic agency, said about 1,000 flights out of a total of 28,000 in Europe had been cancelled on Monday, but it offered passengers hope that the disruption will soon pass.

 

"During the course of the day, the current cloud is expected to disperse," the agency said in a statement. "Delays will also be experienced by flights due to congestion in airspace adjacent to closed areas."

 

Dutch airspace was reopened from 1100 GMT and Schiphol airport's check-in counters were operating again in anticipation, although an airport spokesman said it may take a while longer for flights to resume.

 

London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports reopened after overnight closures, but passengers were warned to expect long delays and cancellations through the day.

 

Britain's air traffic control body eased a no-fly zone that affected Heathrow and Gatwick because the drifting ash cloud had changed direction. The restrictions remained in place over Northern Ireland and the Shetland Isles, off northern Scotland.

 

The UK Met Office said southwesterly winds should push the cloud away from British and northern European airspace on Monday and Tuesday.

 

The same Icelandic volcano's ash last month prompted a number of European countries to close their airspace for nearly a week and travel chaos ensued in Europe and beyond.

 

Transport Secretary Philip Hammond said aviation officials and aircraft makers were considering whether to allow planes to fly through higher densities of ash.

 

'GROSS OVER-REACTION'

 

British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh said the airspace closure was a "gross over-reaction to a very minor risk."

 

"It can be managed and we don't need these blanket closures," he told reporters in London.

 

British flights face further disruption on Tuesday when BA cabin crew are due to strike in a long-running dispute over pay and working practices. Their union and BA managers were holding last-minute talks in London to avert the strike.

 

In Ireland, aviation officials said Dublin airport would reopen at 1100 GMT and the conditions looked likely to improve.

 

"The prospects for the next number of days are very good, we don't anticipate any problems with volcanic ash over the next two to three days," Irish Aviation Authority chief executive Eamonn Brennan told national broadcaster RTE's radio news.

 

In the Netherlands, a spokesman for Schiphol said the airport would cancel about 500 flights, affecting 60,000 inbound and outbound passengers; while stranded passengers stared at departure screens and check-in desks were empty.

 

"This is our national day in Norway... and we have to stay in Amsterdam, so I hope we get back to Norway perhaps tomorrow," a Norwegian passenger, who gave his name only as Helge, said.

 

Amsterdam Schiphol is Europe's third-largest cargo airport and fifth-largest passenger hub.

 

(Reuters)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

EU Says New Ash Rules Will Reduce Disruption

 

May 21, 2010

 

The European Union has drawn up new guidelines for dealing with volcanic ash to curb travel disruption, the EU's aviation safety body said on Friday.

 

The rules will give more flexibility to national air traffic controllers and will involve the creation of a European crisis coordination centre to ensure a smoother response to emergencies like the ash scare which grounded flights in April.

 

Fears that ash blown southwards from an erupting Icelandic volcano could clog engines and cause planes to crash led to a six-day shutdown of Europe's busiest air corridors in mid-April, stranding millions and inflicting heavy losses on airlines.

 

The European Aviation Safety Agency said it had agreed new rules with the European Commission and Eurocontrol air traffic management agency for assessing the risk of contamination.

 

"The joint measures will offer member states greater flexibility in deciding how to manage their airspace, allowing for less flight disruption while still ensuring the highest level of safety," Cologne-based EASA said in a statement.

 

Under the new rules airspace will be divided into four zones instead of three at present, using maps updated every six hours.

 

The additional "grey" zone will allow flights under certain conditions, offering more discretion for local decision-makers.

 

The creation of an additional category will provide more options for controllers and allow some airspace to remain open where it might have been closed, even when it is deemed safe to fly.

 

Airlines have criticised Europe for overreacting to the ash scare by imposing blanket shutdowns across much of the region's airspace and some are pressing for financial compensation.

 

Regulators such as Britain's Civil Aviation Authority have said they were forced to rely on restrictive earlier guidance from engine makers and acted to put public safety first.

 

(Reuters)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Iceland Volcano Dormant, No Ash Coming Out

 

May 24, 2010

 

An Icelandic volcano that caused air traffic chaos after erupting last month has gone dormant but it is too early to declare the eruption over, an official said on Monday.

 

Airlines across Europe stopped flying for days after the volcano under the Eyjafjallajakull glacier erupted in mid-April, spewing high levels of ash. Ash particles can cause serious damage if absorbed into plane engines.

 

Icelandic meteorological office geographer Sigthrudur Armannsdottir said the volcano, about 120 km southeast of the capital Reykjavik, was now showing only minimal signs of life.

 

"There is no ash coming up and no lava," she said. "The volcano is dormant at the moment, but we are not ready to declare the eruption over."

 

The volcano caused most problems when it first erupted as hot magma surged up to the surface and melted the ice off the glacier, causing huge ash clouds to shoot up into the sky.

 

Experience from the last eruption in 1821-1823 showed that the volcano can start up again, she said.

 

"But we are no longer providing ash projections as there is no ash coming up any more, at least for the moment," she said.

 

Armannsdottir said it the Civil Protection Agency might lower the alert stage from "dangerous" to "monitoring" later in the week if the volcano stayed quiet.

 

"So far today we have only measured one small earthquake in the volcano compared to 27 yesterday, and hundreds every day in the lead-up to the eruption," she said.

 

"The quakes over the last few days have been shallow, which indicates that there is no magma breaking out of the chamber below," she added.

 

A stationary video camera aimed at the volcano from a mountain north of the glacier showed only small plumes of steam coming from the crater.

 

(Reuters)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

UK Plays Down Chances Of Airline Cash For Ash

 

June 10, 2010

 

Britain has played down the prospect of compensating airlines for losses suffered when ash from an Icelandic volcano grounded flights earlier this year.

 

"We understand the concerns raised by those companies facing an unexpected bill so soon after the recession, but while the Government has not ruled out providing support for airlines and other operators, it would be wrong to raise false expectations," the Department for Transport said in a statement.

 

Britain is battling to rein in a budget deficit running at around 11 percent of national output and said it would struggle to find the money to pay the airlines, even if it was allowed.

 

"EU state aid clearance would be needed if assistance were to be given, but more importantly, the state of the public finances are well documented and such assistance simply may not be affordable," it added.

 

The issue is on the agenda for a meeting of European Union transport ministers scheduled for June 24.

 

The grounding of flights across the continent in April cost airlines in the European Union an estimated EUR€1.5 billion - EUR€2.5 billion, the EU executive has said.

 

There was further limited disruption to flights in Britain and Ireland last month after ash from the volcano under the Eyjafjallajokull glacier in Iceland drifted into their airspace, posing a potential hazard to aircraft.

 

(Reuters)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...