Iceland Volcano - ash spewing could go on for months

[donna]

European Air flight has not been grounded for so long - since WW2 - airlines (already suffering from recessionary times) are losing hundreds of millions $$ daily and getting more nervous by the hour, some are sending up test flights and insisting travel recommences within the next 24 hours.

Not sure I'd like to be on the first flights given this is what the stuff can do to planes

The particles spewing forth are mostly microscopic bits of glass that can easily melt onto jet engine parts, block intake lines, ding windshields and scour aircraft bodies.

Neighbouring Volcanos are larger than Eyjafjallajokull and could be triggered to blow.

If this goes on for much longer could it this send us into a Global economic meltdown? If not what could we expect as the fallout?

Cheers,

Donna

[Dean@Massiveaction]

Britain just tested a flight successfully :-)

[Xav]

Say the odds of failure are only .01% (1 in 10000). It is very unlikely a test flight would crash with those odds. There have been around 18000 flights a day less than usual. If they all recommence then 1.8 planes would crash per day.

They would have to do a heck of a lot more testing to convince me to fly.

It will certainly be interesting to see the economic fallout from this if it continues as long as they think it might. Wish I has shares in European train and shipping companies!

[donna]

Umm not in good taste but they're probably making $$

Check out the advert on this site - would you take a tour?

Ha

Cheers,

Donna

[cube]

The economic impact is beginning to spread beyond the travel industry.

Volcanic flight ban hits Kenya farm workers

[cube]

Say the odds of failure are only .01% (1 in 10000). It is very unlikely a test flight would crash with those odds. There have been around 18000 flights a day less than usual. If they all recommence then 1.8 planes would crash per day.

They would have to do a heck of a lot more testing to convince me to fly.

It will certainly be interesting to see the economic fallout from this if it continues as long as they think it might. Wish I has shares in European train and shipping companies!

The test flights are not successful just if they don't crash - they are being used to assess the impact of the cloud on the aircraft to determine the likelihood of an accident.

So far the signs are encouraging - but you might say that, at $200m a day, the airline industry might not be the best ones to judge!

[donna]

more pain on the way for Britain as a new ash cloud is on its way.

With now millions of travellers affected is this covered by their travel insurance? If so would it not bankrupt some insurers? Some insurers say they are not paying out as it is a 'natural disaster' - umm so who pays?

Wouldn't be surprised if there are some calls for bailout $$.

Cheers,

Donna

[CJ]

Everyone is going to have to wait for the dust to settle till the fall out is know.

[Bob Kane]

If this goes on for much longer could it this send us into a Global economic meltdown? If not what could we expect as the fallout?
Cheers,
Donna

A very interesting question, Donna.
Some thoughts if it goes on for 6 months or more:
- the major airports in the no-fly zone will become ghost towns, hotels and tourist trade will dry up. This could drop the price of real estate by the airports. When flights resume real estate prices should go back up - quick gains for investors.
- airports on the fringe of the no-fly zone (southern Spain?, Italy?, Russia?) will become very busy until things return to normal. Once again, short term gains for investors.
- airline industries taking a hammering at the moment but trains, buses and truckers should be making fortunes.
- some products won't make it into Europe (fresh produce) so alternatives will get a boost.
- a lot of casual travel will stop - eg poms having a weekend in Germany to watch a football match.
- will it cause a global meltdown? Shouldn't think so as it's more of a 'some winners and some losers' situation. People still have money - they have only lost their ability to travel. Alternatives will spring up.
- huge, huge opportunity for innovative thinkers to step up and seize a 'once in a life time' chance to start a new business or restructure an existing one to meet this new situation. This could wipe out Richard Branson or alternatively, wipe out his competition and make him stronger.
- can NZ benefit from this? Possibly but it might be a two-edged sword.

I'm surprised that the usual doom-and-gloomers haven't started up their predictable spiel yet. I suspect they are waiting to be told what to say.

[Jumpin]

I'm surprised that the usual doom-and-gloomers haven't started up their predictable spiel yet. I suspect they are waiting to be told what to say.

Indeed, I was half expecting TonyMacaroni to claim either
a) it is all part of the Rothschild conspiracy or
b) the volcano actually erupted last year but they kept it quiet or
c) it actually hasn't erupted at all, it's all fake

[essence]

NZ to London flights resume

Last updated 13:26 21/04/2010

Air New Zealand plans to operate seven services to and from London in the next 24 hours, aiming to clear the backlog of passengers.

NZ2 from Los Angeles to London is in the air, having taken off at 11.30am today New Zealand time (4.30pm Tuesday local time).

Pending no further closure of airspace, normal scheduled services will recommence from tomorrow, with Air New Zealand continuing to look for additional opportunities to add capacity between London and Auckland.

The airline says priority for booking passengers on available seats is being undertaken in the order of those who were stranded in Hong Kong and Los Angeles enroute to London on Thursday night, followed by customers with existing bookings on scheduled services and then passengers in a chronological order from their original point of delay.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/europe/3595039/NZ-to-London-flights-resume

[essence]

Iceland: Second, more powerful volcano due to erupt

10:39 AM Wednesday Apr 21, 2010

Despite grounding 100,000 flights across Europe, battering a beleaguered airline industry, stranding hundreds of thousands of travellers, disrupting schools and businesses, and giving homes under flight paths their first peace and quiet in decades, the current volcano eruption may be only a teaser of chaos to come.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10639824

[donna]

Katla is next....within months it's predicted

Well at least we can pronounce the name of the larger Volcano - Katla.

I have yet to hear the pronounciation of Eyjafjallajokull which is disappointing -

Anyone care to write it how it's pronounced?

Cheers,

Donna

[Xav]

Listen here.

Just sounds like mumbling to me to be honest

[muppet]

Ere, wot about this.......

Scanty clothing causes earthquakes - cleric



AP Last updated 11:29 20/04/2010

A senior Iranian cleric says women who wear revealing clothing and behave promiscuously are to blame for earthquakes.
Iran is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries, and the cleric's unusual explanation for why the earth shakes follows a prediction by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that a quake is certain to hit Tehran and that many of its 12 million inhabitants should relocate.
"Many women who do not dress modestly ... lead young men astray, corrupt their chastity and spread adultery in society, which (consequently) increases earthquakes," Hojatoleslam Kazem Sedighi was quoted as saying by Iranian media.
"What can we do to avoid being buried under the rubble?" Sedighi asked during a prayer sermon on Friday.
"There is no other solution but to take refuge in religion and to adapt our lives to Islam's moral codes."
Seismologists have warned for at least two decades that it is likely the sprawling capital will be struck by a catastrophic quake in the near future.
Ahmadinejad made his quake prediction two weeks ago but said he could not give an exact date.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/middle-east/3600856/Scanty-clothing-causes-earthquakes-cleric