Europe Flights Reopen....

[JuliaS]

I heard today on the news that airports in Europe are finally reopening for flights today (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8633451.stm), after the big mess that the ash from the Icelandic volcano caused.

One of my best friends has been stranded in London for a week (after being sent there by bus once her flight home from Paris was cancelled). Darn ash cloud!

Has anyone been directly affected by this? Also curious to see how the industry deals with the $1.7bn loss from this mess...

[eaton2003]

Sounds good but for how long as they are expecting a second erruption within the next few days. I had a dream about five months ago and in the dream I was visiting a friend and had a wonderful holiday and then I found out air travel was grounded and this went on for over a month so I decided to take a boat back to the UK from the Caribbean and when I arrived back they were clearing the runways for houses and using them as overflow car parking lots. Basically in the dream air travel as we knew stopped forever.

Ironically this dream was five months before what happened, I am now wondering if this is a sign of things to come.

[baldidiot]

I'm starting to get a bit nervous now - have a flight to california to plan my wedding in a week. There better not be a second eruption!

[kimcyp]

I know a couple of people who have been stuck here in Cyprus for nearly a week, and are still waiting to get back due to the backlog. One was even thinking about getting a flight/boat to Turkey and then going cross-country, which would have been a massive journey.

I feel sorry for everyone affected, but especially for the troops who have been in Afghanistan for 6 months and are trying to get back home on leave.

[casinobonusguy]

Sounds good but for how long as they are expecting a second erruption within the next few days. I had a dream about five months ago and in the dream I was visiting a friend and had a wonderful holiday and then I found out air travel was grounded and this went on for over a month so I decided to take a boat back to the UK from the Caribbean and when I arrived back they were clearing the runways for houses and using them as overflow car parking lots. Basically in the dream air travel as we knew stopped forever.

Ironically this dream was five months before what happened, I am now wondering if this is a sign of things to come.

Simon please let me know if you dream the winning lottery numbers My daughter is going to Europe next week for 11 days and now im worried about her being stuck.

[eaton2003]

Still waiting for that dream... ohhh well I can only dream about winning... if only

My numbers for this weeks euro millions

15- 18 - 25 - 28 - 35 (5 - 8 )

[JuliaS]

I hadn't heard about a 2nd eruption, but I had heard the cloud was maybe moving closer to East coast Canada.

I feel sorry for everyone affected, but especially for the troops who have been in Afghanistan for 6 months and are trying to get back home on leave.

- hadn't thought of that, must be especially sad and frustrating!

Simon - that dream sounds freaky, but who knows, maybe this event will spark new innovation in other types of inter-continental travel?

[universal4]

baldidiot,

Geez what's wrong with you....there is your perfect excuse, if you get married the volcano is sure to blow.....lol

Whoa Simon.....if I am ever in your dreams do me a favor and don't tell me.....lol

Rick
Universal4

[reedjholmes]

Was supposed to leave after CAC on Saturday; couldn't get a flight until this Saturday.

As much as I liked the Euro Bar in Amsterdam, I had to escape the city. I'm now in Hamburg at a friend's apartment while I wait for my flight.

By the way, this is my first post here at GPWA. Met some of the folks at the conference and during the delay. You guys are sharp.

I thought I knew a lot about the web business until the conference. My head is still article spinning.

It's nice to finally join the club.

Reed

[JuliaS]

Welcome to the forum Reed! I have nothing but great memories of the Euro bar in Amsterdam, haven't been to the CAC in a few years though.

Hope you're enjoying the extended layover in Hamburg!

[casinobonusguy]

Welcome to the crazy house Reed !

[jarvi]

Spare a thought for the UK people staying in the same place as me here in Barbados. Instead of flying out yesterday they have been told the earliest flight back home (at no extra cost) is 30 April after originally being told 6 May. I'm guessing there are worse places to be stuck than the beautiful Caribbean.

Simon, if I see them I'll mention getting a boat home.

[Renee]

The volcano actually did erupt twice.. The first one obviously as well as 2 or 3 days ago.. I thought the flights would be grounded for much longer for sure.. Glad people are able to get out now.

To answer the question of how they will make up for the loss...

It was on the radio yesterday that British Airways are charging $12,000 for a return economy flight from Sydney to London now...

As if anyone is going to fly being that expensive.. I think theyll just lose more money that way.

Anyway good lucky to everyone. Let's hope it stops and clears up before Prague next month!

[ShaneVegas]

It was on the radio yesterday that British Airways are charging $12,000 for a return economy flight from Sydney to London now...

I went to buy a flight back to Oz yesterday and saw the same thing.. One of the tickets was $21,000. Couldn't believe it.

Think I'm gonna wait a couple weeks

[kimcyp]

Seems like some companies are really exploiting the situation.

Ryanair earlier stated that they weren't going to refund costs such as hotels, food for people caught out by the chaos etc, though have now backed down. It's part of EU law so would have been interesting otherwise.

Julia - I made the mention of troops as Cyprus is a staging post, and we've got a huge amount of them here caught up in it.

[Topboss]

It really irritates me when companies exploit a crisis situation by increasing costs. I understand that airlines have always operated on a supply and demand basis but they are being ridiculous under the circumstances.
It gives me visions of a starving person crawling through the desert with the vultures circling around.
Whatever happened to humanity? I guess it boils down to money at all costs.

What goes around comes around, and I hope all those companies making the stranded passengers misery even worse, go bankrupt!!