Ash hits flights for second day
Friday 16th April 2010, 3:00PM BST.
The Elizabeth Terminal was full of travellers for the 5.30 pm sailing to Weymouth yesterday after the cancellation of flights to the UK. Picture: TONY PIKE (00936623)
TRAVELLERS faced yet more misery today as volcanic ash grounded flights across the UK for a second day.
British airspace has been closed until 1 am tomorrow and disruption is expected to continue over the weekend.
Following an emergency meeting at the Airport at 9 am, it was decided that limited schedule of inter-island flights could go ahead today. A further meeting was being held at 4 pm to review the flight programme for the weekend.
Hundreds who had planned to get away by air descended on the harbour hoping to get a place on a ferry. Queues snaked out of the terminal building as Condor’s electronic and booking systems struggled to cope with the huge surge in demand.
Several weekend events and sports fixtures were disrupted and today’s national newspapers were due to be delivered by sea and be in the shops tomorrow. Similar plans were being put in place for Saturday’s papers, should flights not have resumed by tomorrow.
Read the full story in the Jersey Evening Post. Click here for subscription details. Individual editions are also available online.
The Queen's Diamond Jubilee
JEP Jubilee Editions
Saturday 2 June: Guide to Celebrations
Wednesday 6 June: Souvenir of Events
View The Queen in Jersey supplement
Travel
To, from and around the Island
Airport Arrivals/Departures
Harbours Arrivals/Departures
Bus Information/Timetables
This is Jersey
Jersey Evening Post
Useful links
A natural event, just like changing climates. Nature rules not humans.
Report abuse
It is well known that jet planes must not fly through ash clouds, so no reasonable criticism could be made of the general stoppage. It was a perverse decision to ban piston engined planes from flying tens of thousands of feet below the ash plume on inter-insular services, though. I am glad that sense has finally prevailed on that one.
Report abuse
Surely the same could be applied for the Gatwick, Southampton, Exeter and Bristol FLYBe routes using the airlines Q400s ?
Report abuse
I wonder if anyone has a Hercules propeller plane that Jersey could borrow to collect the papers.
24 hours to come by boat sounds like a return to the Victorian era.
Report abuse
stop complaining you guys…despite aircraft types(anoraks) .. my safety comes first no matter what height its flying at.
Report abuse
#4
“I wonder if anyone has a Hercules propeller plane that Jersey could borrow to collect the papers.”
Some dubious aeronautical engineering knowledge floating around at the moment.
The best one I’ve heard so far was on a UK phone in when a bloke asked
“What about piston-engined turboprops then?”.
The solecism went completely over the head of the presenter but not, I suspect, over those of the anoraks and cagoules(really serious anoraks) listening.
Report abuse
James (4) wonder if anyone has a Hercules propeller plane that Jersey could borrow
Sorry James but even turboprops like the Hercules have gas turbines. That is this way of the world!
Report abuse
Jeepers thought all that ash was due to my increased compsumtion of benson and hedges when i found out my 2 week holiday was cancelled
Report abuse
Just gotta let that ash cloud out my window
Report abuse
Mindful that there are certain rather vocal people who say that the planet is doomed, I think this is all rather funny.
We tend to focus on trivia like recycling plastic bags and taxing the motorist, but how much pollution is this volcano chucking out ?
The travel disruption currently experienced, and it has affected close members of my family, is only a taster of what is to come if the environmentalist really get their way, or oil runs out. Moaning about a missed Hen Party of business meeting realy is pathetic !
Report abuse
I,m surprised they haven’t blamed “global warming” on this and all the earthquakes recently.
Shush must not put ideas in their head.
Report abuse
No, Bella, it’s not global warming.
It’s biblical prophecies coming true! (not my belief, I hasten to add).
Report abuse
C Le Verdic 12.
No, C Le Verdic, it’s not biblical prophecies coming true.
It’s the unions and greedy employees/consultants who are to blame! Not my belief, I hasten to add!
Report abuse