Airlines and Airports now questioning the flight ban?

teamcullen

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8628323.stm

If these test flights are all coming back as ok, then hopefully the ban will be lifted soon. Obviously safety is of the utmost concern here, but if planes are flying with no obvious signs of damage, it's only a matter of time before the powers that be have to start listening to the airlines flight results.

BA are also set to fly from Heathrow tonight, with any luck that will come back ok too.

pretzelnut

I hope so cos i really really want to go on my holiday, it took us 8 months to pay for it.

Im in desperate need of some sunshine and relaxation.

Im all for flight safety etc but our government etc either dont do enough or do too much.

teamcullen

KLM have just been on Sky News saying airspace is safe in Northern Europe with the exception between the Northern area of Russia and Iceland.

Edit to add: Theres a test flight going from Heathrow to Ireland now

silvercar

To be fair, they can only go on info they have. So until they do test flights they have to proceed cautiously.

I heard a pilot interviewed on LBC radio. He said he would be happy to fly with good visibility but wouldn't risk it if visibility was poor.

alanrowell

silvercar wrote: »

To be fair, they can only go on info they have. So until they do test flights they have to proceed cautiously.

I heard a pilot interviewed on LBC radio. He said he would be happy to fly with good visibility but wouldn't risk it if visibility was poor.

I think we are in unknown territory here. I suspect that they will cautiously re-open airspace with provisos on routing to avoid the known areas of ash and to keep planes within gliding distance of land.

Unfortunately looking at the weather systems for the next week it looks as if the UK and Northern & Western Europe are going to be in the ash cloud for all that time - the only change being the amount of ash being emitted

thorsoak

Dear Iceland

We think you must have mis-heard us - we asked for CASHBACK - not ASH BACK!

Yours faithfully
Great Britain

nw_man

I've been pondering this test flight thing.

Do they send pilots up on normal jets with parachutes . If so, how do they bail out ? :rotfl:

More worryingly, where do they ditch

mikey72

alanrowell wrote: »

I think we are in unknown territory here. I suspect that they will cautiously re-open airspace with provisos on routing to avoid the known areas of ash and to keep planes within gliding distance of land.

Unfortunately looking at the weather systems for the next week it looks as if the UK and Northern & Western Europe are going to be in the ash cloud for all that time - the only change being the amount of ash being emitted

Who'd sign a waiver if they had a chance to fly?
At least it would still be quiet gliding a 747 into Heathrow .

photome

They also said a finnish airforce jet had gone up to test and came back with engine damage!

I wouldnt want to be getting on a plane in the next few days, the ash cloud is invisible to a pilot

nico26

photome wrote: »

They also said a finnish airforce jet had gone up to test and came back with engine damage!

I wouldnt want to be getting on a plane in the next few days, the ash cloud is invisible to a pilot

Totally agree. Better being safe on the ground as up there falling to the ground.

Sammy85_2

Not worth the risk.

One plane down could cost the lives of hundreds of people. No airline is going to risk that until they have definative proof that it'll do no damage and so far the problems encountered by jet planes in previous years outweighs the results from the test flights over the last few days.

As disappointing as it would be to lose my holiday i'd rather that than be up in the sky in a plane when the engines stall.