Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

:o: Oooh i like the personal touch :D When you typed garry it was as if your sat here beside me :o: Oooh best damp myself down with a wet lettuce.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

The problem is, the Met Office are, and (if the register's article I posted a link to above is correct), they are basing their model on little actual data.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

just been on hold to ryanair for 1hr at 10p a min and still got nowhere , low cost airline making shed loads on their phone number typical , where there is a crisis there is money to be made :-(((

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

I'm happy to go with that and travel next week. The way i see it if there was any possibility of safety being at risk, the airlines would not put themselves in a vulnerable position.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

He owes a lot of money to littlewoods catologue co i heard he ordered 4 cardigans last september and is 12 weeks behind :o:, these rumours are probly hearsay but you just never know.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

If I have made your day better in any way, my time here has not been in vain - happy to have helped make you happy. :)

Pay it forward.;)

---------- Post added at 12:22 ---------- Previous post was at 12:19 ----------

http://blog.beliefnet.com/beyondblue...atry-couch.gif

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Daughter is now booked on a flight to leave Melbourne on 4th May.
Is staying in Sydney until Friday, then flying out to New Zealand on Air Miles to stay with friends for 6 days, then flying back to Melbourne to stay with more friends before she comes home.
She wanted to go to NZ in a couple of years anyway, so she's saved some pennies now :-)
All's well that ends well.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Just got back from Terminal 4. I`ve got my beauties back again and i`m Very Very Happy. Many thanks to Etihad Airlines for the way they treated my girls and the others on her flight. Amazing.:tu::nworthy:

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

So pleased to hear that they are home safe with you budwieser. I know it's been a worry to have them stuck away from you no matter how comfortable their extended holiday proved to be. :)

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

:):):):)

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Not to cast a shadow on this, but the specualtion that the Polish president "encouraged" the pilot of his plane to land in bad weather, could be described as a similar scenario. I wouldn't put it past Walsh to "bully" someone into declaring the skies are safe.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Just seen two jets at low level over my town bound for Stansted

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

The fact that planes are landing and taking off with no problems thus far seems to bear out the facts and the suggestion that anyone has been bullied to ignore safety precautions seems speculative.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

@ budwieser :-)

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

are the airlines carrying out extra checks and inspections of the planes because surely even if they catch the remnants of the ash cloud it could still damage engine parts over a period of time some short haul planes will do 3 or 4 trips a day into Europe and damage could have a cumulative effect

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

What is the difference between bully and "bully"?

I am sure the BALPA would be out the door faster than a speeding bullet if they had any hint of pressure on a pilot to fly in unsafe conditions, don't you? (especially after their protest march against BA in 2008).

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Thank you me darlin`:);)

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Just had a phone call from Mr Tink he's on his way back from Exeter Airport yipeee !!!:hyper::hyper::hyper::hyper::luv::luv: :):):):)

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Get a nice cuppa tea and his favourite food ready :)

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

... and a big hug. :D

So happy for you Tinky. :hugs:

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Think about this logically.. If they lose a plane, how much would it cost to replace? About two to three hundred million dollars (http://www.boeing.com/commercial/prices/ ) for a 747.

Now add in the costs for the inevitable legal actions (which depending on which country the action takes place in may include punitive damages). This will cost millions.

Now multiply that by the number of flights that each airline makes in one day (which can be hundreds)

Finally, factor in the damage caused to their reputation when people start thinking that the airline was willing to risk their lives to save a few pounds..

That kind of loss of reputation bankrupted Pan Am (then one of the largest airlines) after Lockerbie.

Now, do you *really* think the airlines would risk all that cost to save a few £million?

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

What I know from working within the aviation industry is like this.

A plane crashes somewhere in the world, and it is found a minor fault in a planes system is to blame.

The A/C reg makers (EASA / FAA / CAA etc) make the decision to either a mandatory fix, or recommendation.

Say the fix is a recommendation, the airline looks at it and says the fix on all the affected A/C will cost £250 million (yes that is possible), but the risk of another plane crashing is very slim, and if one does go down it would cost in payouts £200 milion, they would chose the latter.


The cost I quoted can happen, bearing in mind that a 737 has approx 2 million parts, and some of these aren't cheap. I had to purchase a CMM which was less than 40 pages and cost £5,000.

---------- Post added at 22:52 ---------- Previous post was at 22:43 ----------

CMM = Component Maintenance Manual

---------- Post added at 22:58 ---------- Previous post was at 22:52 ----------

Where I worked they have 3 versions of the BAe-146 they are:

-200QT
-300QT

-200QC

There was an Aircaft Maintenace Manual for each type (Luckly the QTs used the same manual, as the only difference was the length.)

The QC (quick change) was a frieghter/Passenger varient.

So I had to maintain two sets of manuals each was 20 volumes and each volume was approx 5" thick.

Each set cost around £80,000 to buy and another annual payment of £15,000.

---------- Post added at 22:59 ---------- Previous post was at 22:58 ----------

Final point though

you are far safer flying than you are driving

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Yes, I know, I was just being flippant. But, bearing in mind Walsh's arrogance, it does have ring of truth about it. ;)

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Unfortunately, assuming that the predicted path of the Ash cloud was (or is) correct, then the chances of planes crashing increase massively..

I would have thought it was certainly enough that the airlines would put up with losing the odd few million a day, rather than the cost of a new aircraft (or even a few).

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Even if there was a 1% chance of the planes crashing nobody would want to fly so it must all be safe otherwise the planes would still be grounded now.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Actually, that wasn't aimed at you specifically. It was more a general reply. I've heard a few people make the point that they thought that the airlines bullied the authorities into opening up the airways. I don't think they would have unless they thought there was a good chance that NATS was incorrect to close our airspace.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Breaking news

Ryan Air has backed down and will pay passengers

no link yet.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Breaking news: Just discovered that some old friends of ours got a lift home from Spain aboard HMS Albion. I am very, very, very jealous. :cry:

---------- Post added at 10:17 ---------- Previous post was at 10:16 ----------

Of course they're going to pay. Refusing to pay was about as likely to happen as charging passengers to use the toilet. O'Leary and his mob will say or do anything to get column inches.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Although it's likely that a lot of the interesting parts of the ship will be covered by the Official Secrets Act..

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Well, i cant say the lack of flights had any direct effect on us although it did for a couple of cousins back up in Scotland. Either way though it`s sure nice to look back up in the sky on a lovely clear day like today and see all those Scottish Saltires the planes leave behind as they criss cross each others paths.:)

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Of course to claim you need to call a premium rate number for 15 minutes in order to get a claim form which needs to be completed in triplicate with your own blood. :erm:

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

As a former CCF cadet I can say with some authority ... there's actually very little they won't let you see. Last time I had a tour around a warship (admittedly a good few years ago now), we went right round the Ops room. The only instructions were, don't touch any buttons, and don't try to peep underneath the consoles that were covered. Those were the secret ones. :D

Most of a warship is corridors, store-rooms and messes.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Link for the RyanAir turnaround

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8636461.stm

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

I'm with the Airlines on this.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

But I strongly belive they will fight every single claim they receive. The are also likely to charge customers for processing claims, as well.

---------- Post added at 12:58 ---------- Previous post was at 12:56 ----------

What part of that are you with. That they should not have closed the airspace?

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

I was going to ask the very same question, surely business' have insurance for this kind of thing, then again they would just come back and say 'Act of God' - not covered mate.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Did ryan go to the same school as willie w :D got visions of them sending their kids, relations etc birthday cards with terms and conditions on the back

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

No, he didn't

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

I don't think the airlines should have to pay a penny in compensation i don't think anyone should have to pay any compensation ,refunds for not flying yes ,expenses because the airspace was shut no .The whole affair was very unfair on the airlines and a gross overreaction .

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

I don't think the safety of millions of people is an overreaction.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

oh come on flyboy airplanes fly through ash clouds all the time only the realy dense ones will cause a airplane to drop out of the sky .

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

That they shouldn't have to pay exhorbitant compensations costs.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Aeroplanes do not fly through ash clouds all the time. They are quite rare, especially in this part of the world. The cloud does not have to be very dense for glass deposits to form on jet turbine blades. This is why the aircraft were grounded in the first place.

---------- Post added at 15:05 ---------- Previous post was at 15:05 ----------

No one is asking them to pay exorbitant compensation to anyone, only what is reasonable.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Well if someone has bought a £40 flight ticket, but can then potentially reclaim 5 days hotels and meals costs. I consider that unreasonable.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

No, that isn't. The length of the closure was, however. Especially as it seems the closure was based on a limited amount of data about the ash.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

If a flight is cancelled or you cannot get on the flight due to the airline, i.e. overbooking, crew strikes etc then the airline should have responsibility to find you hotels, meals etc
If it is cancelled due to something outside their control i.e. natural disaster, ATC strike then they should not have to provide hotels, food etc.

After all how can an airline like easyjet factor in the possibility of having to pay for 15,000 hotel rooms and meals for up to 5 days to their business plan. You can say they have insurance, but insurance costs money.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

I thought the closure was based on (seemingly) overly strict international regulations which have since been relaxed?

In the meantime:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8637978.stm

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Landed in luton from lisbon just over am hour ago. Was supposed to have been on a flight to gatwick on sunday and the next available flight into a proper london airport was not till next week.
Easyjet put up all its stranded passengers in lisbon in a 5 star hotel, with meals so it wasn't too bad. I did speak to some BA PASSENGERS who were only provided accommodation for 3 days, after which they were on their own.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

FLyboy ,the ash clouds from any volcano stay in the upper atmosphere for years circling the globe for decades ,heavier particles sink to the ground within a few days ,so if your trying to tell me that planes do not encounter ash from volcanoes on a regular basis then that is rubbish
As i said only the concentrated ash is capable of scouring the screen or shutting down an engine .Most pilots on this forum
http://www.pprune.org/private-flying...-merged-7.html cannot understand the thinking behind closing the air space in the way it has been done ,even they say that there has been some major ass covering simply because there is no data available from the met office as to how dense this cloud is ,they can't understand why they weren't allowed to fly lower

a typical quote from a pilot

and another

and another disillusioned pilot

like i said a gross overreaction

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Frankly the whole point is moot as planes are still taking of and landing perfectly safely in the same conditions that applied during the ban.

So Flyboy why bother arguing the point? Why not agree to disagree?:shrug:

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

because that would negate the point of the discussion aspects of this forum :rolleyes:;)

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Slightly off topic But isn't this pic amazing of the volcano

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...2010/04/28.jpg

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

thats a beautiful picture ,wonder if the plane that took it fell out of the sky

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

DISCUSSION!

More like arguing for the sake of arguing..Just like a bunch of teenagers that try to chop logic so as to get their own way or point of view accepted.

Adults however learn to compromise and sometimes compromise means just accepting you cannot change the facts or someone's opinion.

So who is going to walk away first?

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

You're clearly not paying any attention to the Election Campaign then :erm:

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Maggie with all respect the whole point of a discussion forum is to discuss and that by it's nature will mean some people disagree with other people .You think we should all agree to disagree most people here don't ...it's called a difference of opinion and it is allowed and it would be a very boring forum if we all agreed to disagree

so i would ask with all respect to stop jumping on people who disagree with other people

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

I get that this is a discussion board, I'm really not that stupid.

I asked at what point will the argu errr debate/discussion stop because Flyboy does have a reputation of keeping up an argument long after he has lost it...;)

Now you might think that's me being heavy handed but the point is eventually people get fed up,get cross and then the trouble starts..I'm just trying to head it off.;)

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

i take your point and realise you have job to do ,i wouldn't allow anyone on this forum to get to me to such an extent where personal attacks are the only recourse ;)

it's only a forum ..

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Perhaps you do, but the law disagrees with you and more importantly Michael O'Leary.

---------- Post added at 17:25 ---------- Previous post was at 17:23 ----------

Which is the risk all businesses take when they factor their cost/price modeling. If they have saved a few quid without buying insurance, then that is their problem. It is the risk every business has to accept.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Well the law actually states that the airlines should reimburse "REASONABLE" costs. It doesn't go into state what is deemed as reasonable and that is open to interpretation, and I would go so far as to say that if you've bought a cheap ticket with a budget airline, then what is deemed reasonable would be different to say buying a 1st class BA ticket.

In any event I was only expressing my opinion that I thought, in this instance, the law was wrong. Perhaps in helping the debate, you may decide to tell why YOU think the law is right, or wrong, instead of glibly telling me what the law says as I already know that, thanks

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

and this is a very contentious point ,why should airlines be forced to pay compensation to passengers over and above the cost of the ticket?
after all coach train and ferry operators don't ,they only have to reimburse the cost of the ticket .I am pleased Michael O'Leary has done a "sort" of u turn and said only reasonable costs will be reimbursed in line with passenger rights legislation.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Errr...because it's the law?

The easy way to have sorted all of this out, and have a profound effect on the psyche of the British electorate, would have been for Gordon Brown to have declared that stranded travellers would have had additional monies made available to them, whether by way of credit limit increases or availability of funds in their accounts, and that any additional accrued expenses would be written off / paid by the banks.

Job done, sorted.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

well that would have done the trick ,but an easier way would have been to use the fleet of private aircraft (GA traffic) and the raf troop carriers to bring people home these were not grounded and continued to fly throughout the crisis ...suffering no damage

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Tis true, I can attest to that ;)

Getting back to whether or not the CAA & NATS were overly agressive with the lenght of the ban I have to agree with others that IMO there was little chance of an accident happening due to dispersal rates of the ash by the time it reached UK and northern European air space.
Back in '82 when the famed plane lost all engines it was because it flew directly into the volcanic ash plume and not your usual common garden variety ash cloud.

It has been pointed out on many web sites by those that have been testing for the ash cloud that they can not test for density only that there is some ash in the atmosphere. There are 10's of thousands of cubic kilometers of air above Europe the north atlantic and the north sea. 90% or more of ejecta returns to earth within a few hundred miles of the eruption, the rest gets thinned out by the prevailing winds, by the time it reached mainland UK\Europe I would say (and this is my guess) that there was around 1 or 2 particles @ <2mm per cubic metre and once the initial eruption had taken place and the main body of the ash cloud had reached Eurozone airspace then 24-36hrs later the sky's could have been re opened. Obviously safety has to be taken into account and the CAA & NATS took it to the limits that they saw fit.
The above is just my opinion and is what I have gleened from TV\T'interweb\papers and a dose of common sense (mine though)


As for payments for accommodation & food whilst being stuck somewhere due to the closure I think that there should be a limit to the amount one can claim per meal and per night. Its not difficult to get 3 squares a day for about £20 anywhere in Europe and further afield, the same as its not difficult to find a room for £50 a night. I can see where companies like Ryanair come from when they get a bill for £700-£1000 from someone who's ticket cost them £30.
If you buy a budget ticket expect budget accommodation and food, if your ticket is business class or above expect to be treated as such and have a higher claim.
If your on a package holiday then your tour operator will look after you.


Again just my opinion.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

But that would be like the act of a "nanny state" - we can't be having that now, can we?

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

lol:d

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Not everyone books a budget airline because of cost. I booked easyjet because it was the only one who's flights suited my travel requirements.
The ec regulations state what a airline is liable for if planes are cancelled or grounded. I'd say an airline not insuring itself against this risk is taking a bit of a gamble.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Well when I was last in Europe I could easily spend £30 on an evening meal, and that was then expensive option on the menu. Plus what if the resturants don't do kid options, so a family of 4 could easily spend £100 on an evening meal.

Plus the fact some hotels were charging in some cases 4 times the normal price.

I stayed in a 3 star hotel and that was £150 per night and included breakfast free, i was allowed £15 for noon meal and £40 for evening including a drink which could be booze.

Thank god I was on 100% expences.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Yes, but incase you haven't noticed insurance has this habit of increasing when you claim on it.
I work for a large manufacturing company. We ensure that our processes are as safe as possible and this cuts down on any claims against us, keeping the premiums low and our costs down. How can an airline keep premiums low and costs if they are forced to claim huge amounts for factors totally outside their control?

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Q: What's the difference between Eyjafjallajoekull and Cheryl Cole?
A: Eyjafjallajoekull has been blowing Ash this week.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

I bet you'd get very few laughs if you said that to someone's face ;)

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

I dunno listening to news readers trying to pronounce Eyjafjallajoekull all week has given me quite a few laughs.....

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Ah its easy to pronounce just say


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...%C3%B6kull.ogg

Oh n turn up your sound, it helps.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

As an epilogue to this story :

http://vimeo.com/11205494

If you watch the North East coast of Scotland early on I believe those must be helicopter flights to oil rigs, there's also one or two flights in the UK during the shutdown, probably military or air ambulance flights.

Keep your eye on London!

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Just bumping the thread as some of us may still have loved ones who aren't home yet.
My daughter is now back in Melbourne after hopping over to Auckland while waiting for her 4th of May flight home :-)

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Now the weather is coming from the North will we have volcanic dust problem again?

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Depends if the volcano is still erupting throught melt water.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

SECONDS OUT, ROUND TWO.

DING DING

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-...Irish_Airspace

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Breaking: Sky News

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

I do hope this is a blip and the area's where fligts are cancelled doesnt spread to UK mainland as were due to fly out Saturday, but hey ho what will be will be.

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/corporat.../index.html#D1

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

i thught the volcano has stopped as they not been on news for a while then it was then saying its heding back over to ireland and they stopped planes from taking off

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Ya we might not have any planes taking of from cork Mayo Dublin and cant remember where else. Its because of whichever way the wind is blowing. Thank god I dont fly anywhere but pity the poeple who have to or who have hols planned

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8658738.stm

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Eruptions tend to go on for weeks or months. The only reason they allowed UK airspace to reopen is because we didn't get as much ash headed our way as they thought we would. That could change, however, if the wind changes.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

My daughter is finally on her way home :-)
She should be landing at Heathrow just before 9 this evening.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

BREAKING NEWS:

Airspace over Scotland and Northern Ireland closed from 0700 tomorrow by ash cloud

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

And now the vultures descend

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8662097.stm

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

aah ... advance fee fraud. Known in Nigeria as a 419 scam.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

Daughter landed last night. Straight to the hospital as BF suffering from Cellulitis and ............ hypothermia.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

All airports are expected to be open as of 7am today :)






Not good, hope all is ok.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8670560.stm

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

We had a fine, bright yellow powder dusted over our car last night:

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/at...1&d=1273431605

This was shot with super-macro, so the grains are a lot smaller than they appear here. For scale, the diagonal line running across the picture is a dried-up raindrop, and is about 1cm wide.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8674704.stm

hurray!

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

We're still getting a slow but constant dusting with bright yellow ash. The car is filthy. :(

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

My car had a sandy coloured layer of dust on it last week, the annoying thing was it was washed at the weekend and not used since i get the bus to work.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...assengers.html ... and now to add to traverles misery apparently Eurostar services have been suspended

http://www.bbc.co.uk/travelnews/public/eurostar.shtml

Well it doesn't look like our friends will be getting home from their holidays to-day as hoped. Their plane had been cancelled twice before they decided to travel up to Paris to get the train, managed to get tickets yesterday morning on this mornings train and now this has been cancelled with no information on when services will be resumed. :(

Add .. just seen the BBC news and apparently the suspension is by the Tunnel operators and due to a CO2 sensor reading in the tunnels.

Re: Airports closed as volcanic ash drifts toward UK
 

The reading triggered a fire alarm, but it was a false positive. Still, better safe than sorry ...