All UK airports to open from 22:00!

MatyMoo

So pleased for anyone stuck abroad but gutted that I missed by trip to Barcelona by one day!

PhylPho

Stand by for the media circus: the poor pax and flight crew of BA084 inbound from Vancouver have been stooging for ages above the Isle of Man and are now on finals for London heathrow.

This will presumably make 'em the pin up boys of the hour (which they'll not want) and Willie Walsh the consumers' champion (which he most certainly will -- until it comes time to ask the UK taxpayer to stump up £millions to help compensate BA for its business losses.)

Good news for all those affected by the recent airspace restrictions but I'm hoping that BA's orchestrated 'embargo busting' -- which must have been finalised at least 24 hours ago prior to this morning's 7am-ish eastbounds from the US, Canada and Mexico City, complete with contingency fuelling -- isn't an example of safety having to yield to commercial might.

sandsy

PhylPho wrote: »

Stand by for the media circus: the poor pax and flight crew of BA084 inbound from Vancouver have been stooging for ages above the Isle of Man and are now on finals for London heathrow.

At least they shouldn't face long delays going through immigration or waiting for their baggage

bagand96

but I'm hoping that BA's orchestrated 'embargo busting' -- which must have been finalised at least 24 hours ago prior to this morning's 7am-ish eastbounds from the US, Canada and Mexico City, complete with contingency fuelling -- isn't an example of safety having to yield to commercial might.

I agree, it will now all be how wrong all the experts were.

BA were obviously flexing their muscles sending at least 18 aircraft towards UK airspace from long haul destinations this morning. However, they were held off originally, and some did have to divert away from UK airspace, so they didn't really win on that count.

Willie Walsh has gone into media overdrive spouting how unecessary all this was in his opinion. Granted he used to be a pilot, but I wish to know how valid his opinions may be against The Met Office, Vulcanologists, Engine manufacturers, the CAA, and previous incidents of aircraft damage (some arising from this very eruption).

So the CAA have moved the benchmarks regarding tolerable levels of ash and a new classification system of at risk airspace. I truly hope this is a decision based on the advice of experts, and research data from test flights since Thursday, rather than based on Willie Walsh and co demanding to take passengers through Volcanic Ash....

PhylPho

bagand96: yes, you're right -- I lost track of Speedbird 102 ex Calgary for LHR way south of CDG. So as a show of commercial force it didn't entirely succeed.

There's definitely been brinkmanship going on today though up to and including tonight: the insistence on sticking to the 10pm deadline was ludicrous considering the number of pretty tired BA crews / pax stuck up there, counting stars when LHR was ready for 'em.

Though it must have helped BA's news management to have the TV cameras filming Speedbird 84 at exactly the moment the News at Ten bulletins aired.

I agree with you entirely, and hope the decisions made today are indeed based on good science -- whether previous decisions have been based on bad science, or were just downright bad decisions per se is something best left to be sorted later.

Here's hoping the misery caused to so many and still being endured by so many is nearing its end.

Pelican_eats_pigeon

PhylPho wrote: »

Good news for all those affected by the recent airspace restrictions but I'm hoping that BA's orchestrated 'embargo busting' -- which must have been finalised at least 24 hours ago prior to this morning's 7am-ish eastbounds from the US, Canada and Mexico City, complete with contingency fuelling -- isn't an example of safety having to yield to commercial might.

Agreed, it concerns me that BA may have been trying to suborn the media to their cause at the cost of safety.