That volcano travel nightmare

[mashman]

You know the one http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/world/7075403/flight-bans-extend-as-ash-cloud-spreads/

Heard a sad tale the other day. One of my wives friends Dads is getting married on saturday and there are several relatives trying to get across for the event. Bloody shame.

Must be fun to be stuck in an airport with queues of people that'll leave before you... call for Mr Satonmeasso...

What would you do to pass the time?
Knit-one perl one, or hunt down the hottest Air Hostess etc...?

[peasea]

You know the one http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/world/7075403/flight-bans-extend-as-ash-cloud-spreads/

Heard a sad tale the other day. One of my wives friends Dads is getting married on saturday and there are several relatives trying to get across for the event. Bloody shame.

Must be fun to be stuck in an airport with queues of people that'll leave before you... call for Mr Satonmeasso...

What would you do to pass the time?
Knit-one perl one, or hunt down the hottest Air Hostess etc...?

You'd probably be better catered for if you bashed a security guard and got arrested.

[mashman]

You'd probably be better catered for if you bashed a security guard and got arrested.

ha ha ha ha. Probably for longer than you had anticipated, and potentially a non too comfy chair attached to the mains :)

[Quasi]

[QUOTE=mashman;1129722822]

Heard a sad tale the other day. One of my wives friends Dads is getting married on saturday......
QUOTE]

How many wives you got??

[mashman]

How many wives you got??
ha ha ha... they're all just "friends" :)

[yungatart]

One of our kids is stuck in Auckland. She has been here on holiday for a couple of weeks, due back at work (in Brussels) tomorrow, her flight has been postponed until at least Wednesday.
Its a shame, we could have spent more time with her....
Lucky for her, family in Akl are putting her up.

[mashman]

One of our kids is stuck in Auckland. She has been here on holiday for a couple of weeks, due back at work (in Brussels) tomorrow, her flight has been postponed until at least Wednesday.
Its a shame, we could have spent more time with her....
Lucky for her, family in Akl are putting her up.

And as a bonus her trip gets extended... I'm sure she's desperately wanting to get back to work lol...

[peasea]

ha ha ha ha. Probably for longer than you had anticipated, and potentially a non too comfy chair attached to the mains :)

Nah, just claim you're a victim of an unruly volcano.

That's the trouble with today's volcanoes, no bloody discipline.

[SMOKEU]

I wonder if shares in the airlines affected by all of this have fallen in price?

[T.W.R]

Classic all the travellers moaning about the disruption and the airlines bleating about losses of millions of dollars a day due to the ash plume....but for christsake imagine if the airlines had continued to fly and planes started dropping out of the sky??? every sod would be crying blue murder

[mashman]

Nah, just claim you're a victim of an unruly volcano.

That's the trouble with today's volcanoes, no bloody discipline.

ha ha ha. True. Always blowing their top when you least expect it. Not a thought for those trying to get away on holiday.

[scracha]

What would you do to pass the time?
Knit-one perl one, or hunt down the hottest Air Hostess etc...?
Been there, done that. Get free flight transfer to next day. Get departure line phone number. Fuck off out of airport and do something more interesting. Lie to boss about lack of internet access. Repeat over telephone next day if necessary.

If flying with the peasants then shelling out on the "flying club" lounges with free food, shower etc suddenly become very good value.

[peasea]

I wonder if shares in the airlines affected by all of this have fallen in price?

I bet the investors are looking ashen-faced

[mashman]

I bet the investors are looking assin-faced

fixed for ya. Because they have their heads up their arses most of the time :)

[Bikemad]

You know the one http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/world/7075403/flight-bans-extend-as-ash-cloud-spreads/


What would you do to pass the time?
Knit-one perl one, or hunt down the hottest Air Hostess etc...?


one word Mashman.........Bar..........make mine a double

[dipshit]

One of my wives friends Dads is getting married on saturday and there are several relatives trying to get across for the event. Bloody shame.

Mother nature couldn't give a fuck. Not in the slightest.

[mashman]

one word Mashman.........Bar..........make mine a double

Ayyyyyye. Always hated working half of the week in London when required. Work like fuck over 2/3 nights, then leave early on the Friday afternoon, job done, to the business lounge for football accompanied beer and food driver!... I did so love those trips.

[mashman]

Mother nature couldn't give a fuck. Not in the slightest.

Is it her bad week?

[marty]

Great thing for Air NZ is that one of the 74's is stuck in London. They cost $$ every time they fly - they are old and expensive to operate. Air NZ only operates 2 flights into London - one from Hong Kong one from LA - those 2 flights only are not being operated - all other routes are being flown. It's a hassle, sure, but at least our whole fleet (like BA/Lufty/Air France) are not grounded - remember there is NO flying - not the airlines choice I must add - the Airways have just shut down all airspace, so even if you wanted to sneak your 74 out of there in a fine window, you couldn't.

[Skyryder]

The last time this volcano erupted it lasted for a year. That was in the 1800's

Skyryder

[Skyryder]

The last time this volcano erupted it lasted for a year. That was in the 1800's

Skyryder

[Mully]

The last time this volcano erupted it lasted for a year. That was in the 1800's

What did the airlines do then?

[MisterD]

The last time this volcano erupted it lasted for a year. That was in the 1800's


It's bloody strange to get so many days in a row when the prevailing winds take the dust from Iceland over the UK though...I'm enjoying the increasingly deranged facebook updates from a mate stranded in Cameroon immensely.

[Swoop]

Hats off to the Icelandic people. First they declared themselves bankrupt...
Then they set their island on fire....

Anyone else smell the mother of all insurance frauds?

[mashman]

Hats off to the Icelandic people. First they declared themselves bankrupt...
Then they set their island on fire....

Anyone else smell the mother of all insurance frauds?

Best conspiracy theory ever :clap: :rofl:

[twotyred]

It was the last wish of the Icelandic nation that its ashes be scattered over Europe...

[jim.cox]

It was the last wish of the Icelandic nation that it's ashes be scattered over Europe...

cool pic of it here

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/1004/icevolcano_fulle.jpg

too big to post

[terbang]

Great thing for Air NZ is that one of the 74's is stuck in London. They cost $$ every time they fly - they are old and expensive to operate. Air NZ only operates 2 flights into London - one from Hong Kong one from LA - those 2 flights only are not being operated - all other routes are being flown. It's a hassle, sure, but at least our whole fleet (like BA/Lufty/Air France) are not grounded - remember there is NO flying - not the airlines choice I must add - the Airways have just shut down all airspace, so even if you wanted to sneak your 74 out of there in a fine window, you couldn't.

Yup I've a GIV stuck in Luton right now, but we want it. But just goes to show, mother nature will flick us off like fleas off a dogs back if she chooses.

[vifferman]

Hats off to the Icelandic people. First they declared themselves bankrupt...
Then they set their island on fire....

Anyone else smell the mother of all insurance frauds?
Pretty cunning, innit? :laugh:

[EJK]

My parents are in Germany at the moment... What's the latest news on flights being restored?

[mashman]

My parents are in Germany at the moment... What's the latest news on flights being restored?

does that you mean you have extra time to clean the place up?

[EJK]

It's always clean! When my parents are gone, I'm 2nd in command hence that makes it my house. I keep my house clean for it is mine. :-)


However, still, concern is being concerned.

[mashman]

It's always clean! When my parents are gone, I'm 2nd in command hence that makes it my house. I keep my house clean for it is mine. :-)


However, still, concern is being concerned.

Fair enough, we're not all the same :shifty:, I was always a last minute tidier...

I suppose the phone "lines" will be jammed too... would they be having fun?

[EJK]

Early this morning they were bragging how they went to Munich BMW Museum without me. <_<

Go figure.

[Swoop]

Well, at least we now know that promiscuous women are the cause of these volcanic eruptions...:gob:


Iranian cleric blames quakes on promiscuous women. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8631775.stm)
Women who wear revealing clothing and behave promiscuously are to blame for earthquakes, an Iranian cleric says.

Hojjat ol-eslam Kazem Sediqi, the acting Friday prayer leader in Tehran, said women should stick to strict codes of modesty to protect themselves.

"Many women who do not dress modestly lead young men astray and spread adultery in society which increases earthquakes," he explained.

Tens of thousands of people have died in Iran earthquakes in the last decade.

Mr Sediqi was delivering a televised sermon at the Tehran University campus mosque last Friday on the need for a "general repentance" by Iranians when he warned of a "prevalence of degeneracy".

"What can we do to avoid being buried under the rubble? There is no other solution but to take refuge in religion and to adapt our lives to Islam's moral codes," he said.

'Disappoint God'

Correspondents say many young Iranians sometimes push the boundaries of how they can dress, showing hair under their headscarves or wearing tight-fitting clothes.

Mr Sediqi also described the violence following last year's disputed presidential election - the result of which prompted thousands of people to hold mass protests - as a "political earthquake".

"Now if a natural earthquake hits Tehran, no one will be able to confront such a calamity but God's power, only God's power. So lets not disappoint God."

More than 25,000 people died when a powerful earthquake hit the ancient city of Bam in 2003.

Seismologists have warned that the capital, Tehran, is situated on a large number of tectonic fault lines and could be hit by a devastating earthquake soon.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said many of Tehran's 12 million inhabitants should relocate.

There are plans to build a purpose built new capital near Qom.

[scracha]

I feel this chap accurately represents Scotland's viewpoint on matter and conveys it beautifully.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34mHZgP9vkc

[EJK]

Aiehaet ass land!

[boostin]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6KQhiiYTtA

[merv]

Well we finally made it home yesterday on Air NZ special flight NZ6801 from London via LA. Willie Apiata was on the normal NZ1 so he got more publicity than those that followed 3 hours later.

After a lovely holiday with our daughter and husband in Switzerland, Italy, France and Monaco we were meant to depart Paris on Thursday 15th to fly to Heathrow to catch NZ1 home that same day.

Well it never happened like it should as the volcano blew and we started 6 days of Groundhog Day after getting to London by TGV and French local train to Calais followed by the ferry to Dover, taxi to Ashford and fast train to the city. I'll spare you the details other than to say that was all quite an ordeal with crowds of people trying to do the same thing.

Then the Groundhog Day ritual began and it was get up, check the news and then ring Air NZ to confirm the flight that day was cancelled - rebook for next available and try and waitlist for anything else. By about noon we'd know we weren't going and then we'd repeat all this again the next day. Fun stuff huh!

Finally on Wednesday it happened and Air NZ flew again and we got home Friday - mid afternoon by the time we were back in Welly and home to our house.

Now what is left is the insurance claim, which I was assured over the phone all was OK as it is covered by our policy. Will they find loopholes?

[mashman]

My wife spoke to her mum this morning and apparantly, in the rush to get hire cars to get around Europe to wherever home was, the car hire companies started charging up to 2,000 pounds for their cars... nothing fancy, just added a zero. It speaks for itself really.

[merv]

Great thing for Air NZ is that one of the 74's is stuck in London. They cost $$ every time they fly - they are old and expensive to operate. Air NZ only operates 2 flights into London - one from Hong Kong one from LA - those 2 flights only are not being operated - all other routes are being flown.

Whatever they cost to fly I'd still have to say the 747 is still my favourite plane to fly on and we flew home on the previously stuck plane. Its cool looking back and seeing it has two engines on each wing for a start and that has a perceived better feeling than thinking there is only two engines altogether like on a 777 when you are zillions of kms from anywhere. Here's a pic at sunrise as we were approaching NZ on Friday and one as we first sighted land - Great Mercury Island and Coromandel Peninsula - nice to be home.

205419 205418


My wife spoke to her mum this morning and apparantly, in the rush to get hire cars to get around Europe to wherever home was, the car hire companies started charging up to 2,000 pounds for their cars... nothing fancy, just added a zero. It speaks for itself really.

We found things OK for price - hotels were still a good price in London, but the Calais to Dover ferry was 55 euro each instead of I gather the usual fare of around 23 euro each. So we haven't felt ripped off, but all depends on how my insurance claim goes. We didn't try renting a car after the problem started as we didn't need one then.

[mashman]

We found things OK for price - hotels were still a good price in London, but the Calais to Dover ferry was 55 euro each instead of I gather the usual fare of around 23 euro each. So we haven't felt ripped off, but all depends on how my insurance claim goes. We didn't try renting a car after the problem started as we didn't need one then.

At least you found a "pub" (i believe you :shifty:) in which to console yourselves... :) Tis just a shame that some thought it a great time to turn a buck though... am sure the claim will be fine... wonder if they'll add "excluding volcanos" to next years insurance documentation :shifty: lol.

[merv]

At least you found a pub in which to console yourselves... :) Tis just a shame that some thought it a great time to turn a buck though... am sure the claim will be fine... wonder if they'll add "excluding volcanos" to next years insurance documentation :shifty: lol.

The problem is that unless it stops blowing for a while all insurance will be null and void for anyone that starts a journey now because it is a known event and they will say they aren't liable under the policy.

[mashman]

The problem is that unless it stops blowing for a while all insurance will be null and void for anyone that starts a journey now because it is a known event and they will say they aren't liable under the policy.

Bloody good point.... what a FECKIN nightmare...

[EJK]

Yep my parents are back home safe and sound. It was the first flight out of Frankfurt. Goodie.

[merv]

The thing is what next? When will it be OK to book the next trip? Nature wins I reckon, and as they are saying, more effectively than Bin Laden.

[mashman]

The thing is what next? When will it be OK to book the next trip? Nature wins I reckon, and as they are saying, more effectively than Bin Laden.

lol, very true... natures sneak peek pre yellowstone?

[EJK]

I'm gonna get some tornado & meteor strike insurance combo tomorrow first thing in the morning.

[mashman]

Looks like another one readying to pop.

I've been watching this one (Katla) (http://en.vedur.is/earthquakes-and-volcanism/earthquakes/myrdalsjokull/) for a couple of years and on occasion you get a clump over a 4 - 8 hour period (usually between 0.5 - 2) and then it settles again. This is the one that's in the news (http://en.vedur.is/earthquakes-and-volcanism/earthquakes/vatnajokull/). Quite interesting watching it happen digitally. Wonder how it looks when it blows.

[merv]

Well we decided not to go to Europe this year so are staying out of its way. I suspect the ebola could be a bigger threat.