Danish... and European airspace shuts down

[Marigold2]

Best of luck to your sister. I just watched a news report on this. I always find it amazing that no matter how tech savvy we become mother nature has but to blow her top and we are at her mercy.
Wishing all travlers safety and a speedy flight home.

[Randi]

My sister and BIL got a good hotel near the airport in Thailand, so that's good. The latest news is that Danish airspace will stay closed until 02:00 AM monday. From the news we get, I expect it will be longer. The volcano is still spewing ashes.

My cousin's son and his girlfriend are on their way back from a 3,5 months trip around the world, they are stuck in Madrid.

I wonder what all of you would do if you were stranded somewhere? Seems it's time to start hitchhiking again, like we did in the seventies. I know I would, if I was within Europe and I really wanted/had to get back home. I did once, to and from Basel in Switzerland - it took me 24 hours, and I even slept 8 hours.

Here's a picture of the area the cloud reach:

[Medusa]

I wonder what all of you would do if you were stranded somewhere?

Friends and I were discussing this very subject last evening. If we were in Europe and especially on a budget and had to stay several days longer, it'd be pretty scary, not knowing anyone and worrying if we'd have enough money for a hotel, meals, etc. to see us through.

[ChrisH]

Airspace closed:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, UK
Partial closures:
Italy (northern airspace closed until Monday)
Norway (limited flights in north)
Spain (northern airports closed)
Flights operating:
Greece, Portugal, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine

• The impact is likely to exceed the airspace shutdown after the 11 September 2001 attacks, according to the International Civil Aviation Organisation

• TV presenter Dan Snow is using five rigid inflatable boats to help people who are stranded in France by carrying people from Calais to Dover throughout Sunday

• P&O ferry crossings between Portsmouth and Bilbao are fully booked until Wednesday, as are those from Hull to Zeebrugge and Rotterdam over the weekend

• British Airways cancelled all long and short-haul flights in and out of the UK on Monday

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8627545.stm

It worries me a little because of my lung disease and living higher up but, unlike Karen, I've yet to see any settled dust, which is good.

[Randi]

If we were in Europe and especially on a budget and had to stay several days longer, it'd be pretty scary, not knowing anyone and worrying if we'd have enough money for a hotel, meals, etc. to see us through.

Mary, in situations like this, that is where people should come together and help each other out. I imagine many would offer accommodation if some have run out of money. What I don't like about this, is that hotels are taking advantage of the situation and charge more for rooms. For the people travelling to meeting, there are at least the internet these days.

Chris, I don't think you need to worry about your lungs, but in any case keep an eye out and stay inside if you see the dust cloud coming towards you.

What a mess this is!

Here's a later image of how the cloud is evolving:

[Miss Z]

My dad won't make his business trip, which is disappointing. He was due to fly out yesterday morning, and has been told the earliest he could leave would be Saturday evening - 3 days after the meetings end.

Didn't this volcano take TWO YEARS before it stopped erupting in the 1800s?

[Sonia59]

Didn't this volcano take TWO YEARS before it stopped erupting in the 1800s?

This is what I heard too!

[Barbara]

It erupted between 1821 and 1823 and when it ceased 1823 it triggered a bigger volcano- the Katla- which erupted in 1823.
I enjoyed my train ride to London- you meet so many people with different stories. My US colleagues couldn't make it here. One US lady who came over for a vacation with her family on my recommendation (they were at the place Edwina's Secretary and I were 4 years ago) couldn't go back. One UK colleague is in Mexico with his family, another German colleague is stuck in Hong Kong and they say they cannot get him back before 1st of May.
2 South African ladies I met in the hotel are stranded since wednesday last week. The bad thing is you have to check your airline all the time, are on the phone no end or are trying to access overloaded servers. I have already booked a train ticket back home on Friday but still hope I can make it flying- stay tuned