# I can't believe there aren't more people, here, freaking out



## mrbelk (Dec 5, 2003)

TGray5 said:


> As in most things...follow the money and you will have your answer. Its too dangerous to fly up until the point that the industry is losing too much money and then it's safe to fly again. :tsk:


I'm not so naive to think that this isn't happening to some extent. Airlines have more than a passing interest in making sure that their passengers get to their destinations safely. If empirical evidence suggests that it's safe to fly, then it's safe to fly. Computer models are no substitute for actual observations.

-MrB


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## outie (Nov 23, 2009)

I am picking up on 5/7. If the flights resume by then I'll just go. Even if the situation continues I am not going to freak out. It's not the end of world. I can still get my car and discounts.


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## skywalkerbeth (Jul 19, 2007)

MrBones said:


> Doing another ED? I remember your '08 adventure write-ups. What are you getting this time around?


Not an ED, just taking my parents over. I'm tailing MRBELK actually, except I'm flying into Milan via Zurich - landing May 22, flight home June 6. We plan to be on Lake Como 6 nights, 4 nights Venice, 4 nights Berner Oberland, 1 night Zurich then fly home.

I came to peace with "guess we aren't going over" this May over the wkd and in some respects might even prefer that now b/c I'm not crazy about flying into ash concentrations even if the authorities deem it "safe". Nor my parents - they will be on a different flight, Phila to Milan. My parents' flight is on a 757 which I already know has limitations due to its two engines. Not sure it can go further south for instance.


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## Slpnbyu (Apr 5, 2010)

outie said:


> I am picking up on 5/7. If the flights resume by then I'll just go. Even if the situation continues I am not going to freak out. It's not the end of world. I can still get my car and discounts.


Ditto that, I am scheduled for 04May.

The way I see it there are three options:

1. Hopeful - Everything goes as planned, no issues.
2. Possible - Flights are cancelled. Take direct delivery and try to get my money back on as many arrangements as possible.
2. Unlikely - Flights are going, but there is a concern of high quantities of ash being deposited in the region. Take Welt delivery and drive straight to the drop-off point 9-miles away. Finish the scheduled trip by train (great thing about Europe).

That's what it all boils down to in my mind...


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## dkreidel (Aug 24, 2005)

Yay-Z said:


> Why freak out? Things happen, all you can do is adjust to your current environment and move on


Exactly! Things like this make this life interesting. And yes, I too have had several unplanned events significantly alter my "plans": Mexico City Earthquake, Mt. St Helens, NYC on 9/11, SARS in Asia, airplane crash, underhood engine fire on M5 three hours after ED, etc. :dunno:

Dick


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## the J-Man (Jul 31, 2009)

Latest news reports say the volcano is still erupting lava, but the ash is decreasing. Ash is only reaching about 5,000 feet now, whereas the past few days it was going up to 50,000 feet. Hopefully good news. I would say anybody within the next week will still be in limbo, but beyond that it might be ok if the volcano calms down.

Unless you are flying on one of the first days that flights resume, I would say there is minimal concern of a plane malfunction. By that point, thousands of flights will have flown through the ash cloud. 

Let's hope this all clears up soon - over 20 festers have ed's the first week of May! :yikes:


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## bimmer_fam (Apr 16, 2007)

Slpnbyu said:


> Ditto that, I am scheduled for 04May.
> 
> The way I see it there are three options:
> 
> ...


To add to your scenario...

3. Also unlikely, but possible that flights resume, we fly out to EU, volcano starts "dancing" again... Paddle back home from EU on a raft or or be stuck in the beer land :beerchug:
4. Who knows if some long term ash effects might be found to impact the airplane engines, etc.
5...???. Anything else. :angel:

While there is a countless number of "freaky" scenarios one can come up with, there are still some that could come as a complete surprise... IMHO Bottom line: life is dangerous, interesting life - even more so :bigpimp:


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## outie (Nov 23, 2009)

Snowstorm, earthquakes, volcano ash, what's next?


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## djfitter (Sep 12, 2007)

outie said:


> Snowstorm, earthquakes, volcano ash, what's next?


With Summer coming here in SoCal, I'm bettin' brush fires. 

dj


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## Slpnbyu (Apr 5, 2010)

bimmer_fam said:


> To add to your scenario...
> 
> 3. Also unlikely, but possible that flights resume, we fly out to EU, volcano starts "dancing" again... Paddle back home from EU on a raft or or be stuck in the beer land :beerchug:
> 4. Who knows if some long term ash effects might be found to impact the airplane engines, etc.
> ...


I don't know if getting stuck there would be too bad, as long as it's not longer than 5 more days so my insurance and registration is still good! :drink:


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## john lance (Oct 15, 2005)

I think it's been a very interesting 5 days. 

The fact that there have been no flights has forced people to realise that there are other ways of traveling to and from their holiday destinations. People have had to revert back to using trains and ferries to get across Europe, traveling through countries they previously had no idea where they were, and back into the UK and such has been the TV coverage about it all that tour companies forecast a huge increase in touring vacations, especially those by rail, this Summer!

It's also been nice to not have the noise of aircraft flying overhead - and to see the sky without the traces of fuel the jet engines leave in their trail is definitely an improvement.

I propose a designated flight-free week every year! What a great opportunity to give the envuironment a well-earned break and give pilots, stewardesses, airport workers etc part of their annual vacations all at the same time.


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## the J-Man (Jul 31, 2009)

john lance said:


> I think it's been a very interesting 5 days.
> 
> The fact that there have been no flights has forced people to realise that there are other ways of traveling to and from their holiday destinations. People have had to revert back to using trains and ferries to get across Europe, traveling through countries they previously had no idea where they were, and back into the UK and such has been the TV coverage about it all that tour companies forecast a huge increase in touring vacations, especially those by rail, this Summer!
> 
> ...


 Has the ash made its way to the ground where you are at? Any haze or anything unusual, or do you still have clear skies?


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## pharding (Mar 14, 2004)

The volcano eruption disruptions could easily go off and on for a couple of years.


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## rmorin49 (Jan 7, 2007)

pharding said:


> The volcano eruption disruptions could easily go off and on for a couple of years.


Yes it could and I just hope that the poor folks in Iceland don't end up with an uninhabitable island until it finally stops.


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## Vanos4:12PM (Apr 20, 2007)

I was pretty concerned this weekend even though I do not fly out until May 12th. But reading the report's today I can breathe a little easier. I really do feel bad for the ones who had their pickup scheduled late last week or early this week.


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## Andrew*Debbie (Jul 2, 2004)

skywalkerbeth said:


> How are the UK citizens holding up?


We are Americans living in the UK.

People are being self reliant and not complaining too much. There are blame iceland jokes.

It is election time here, so the opposition parties are doing their best to blame Labor.

About 40,000 brits are stranded in Spain. The Royal Navy just picked up 200 of them. The rest are either staying in Spain, or heading home overland.

Debbie was in Grenada, Spain until yesterday. Her airline told her April 29th at the earliest. So she and 99 new friends chartered two buses. They left Grenada noon yesterday and expect to reach La Havre this afternoon. She's got a ferry ticket to Portsmouth and a hotel reservation for tonight. With a little luck she will be home in Wales some time tomorrow afternoon.


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## john lance (Oct 15, 2005)

the J-Man said:


> Has the ash made its way to the ground where you are at? Any haze or anything unusual, or do you still have clear skies?


No ash, nothing unusual, just another beautiful sunny morning here in St. Gilgen (by the Wolfgangsee, close to Salzburg)!


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## Andrew*Debbie (Jul 2, 2004)

the J-Man said:


> Has the ash made its way to the ground where you are at? Any haze or anything unusual, or do you still have clear skies?


Normal weather on the Isle of Anglesey where I live. No dust on the ground. There is some haze but there is no way to tell if it is from the volcano or not.

Normally we see contrails from aircraft far above on the way from the US into Europe. Thats been absent from the morning sky. RAF valley has grounded all jet aircraft, so we don't have the occasional Tornado overflight. Other than that, if Debbie weren't stranded in Spain we'd have no change to our daily routine.

General Aviation piston engine planes are still flying as they are below the ash.


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## pharding (Mar 14, 2004)

There is no point in freaking out. Studies show that this has no impact on the behavior of the volcano. If the past is any indicator this is likely to go on and off for a couple of years. I heard that the weather channel is changing its name to the weather and volcano channel. I'll just monitor that as my vacation approaches.


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## Mark's M (Mar 2, 2010)

A report from BBC News.com says winds are expected to shift around the mid-week point and start moving the ashcloud away from Europe......to CANADA!! Go figure


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