Volcanic Ash Over Iceland Cancels Flights!!!

[PaulaSB12]

Has anyone managed to contact virgin atlantic? I have been trying their disruption telephone number 0844 209 8711but it goes dead no dialling tone or anything.

 

[Rosie]

I've had a call tonight from VH telling me we're booked on a flight to Gatwick tomorrow night.
Its good to be going home but I think we will be sorting out the fall out from this for a while once we are back.
Can't wait to see my pets but I will miss the lovely sunshine.
I still intend chasing up my Travel Insurers despite them saying they won't cover claims. There is nothing in the Policy Document that accurately describes what has happened so I will fight my corner for expenses incurred not picked up by VH.

 

[arielrocks]

If anyone has insurance with hsbc they ARE paying out for people stranded!

 

[disneyholic family]

I've had a call tonight from VH telling me we're booked on a flight to Gatwick tomorrow night.
Its good to be going home but I think we will be sorting out the fall out from this for a while once we are back.
Can't wait to see my pets but I will miss the lovely sunshine.
I still intend chasing up my Travel Insurers despite them saying they won't cover claims. There is nothing in the Policy Document that accurately describes what has happened so I will fight my corner for expenses incurred not picked up by VH.

i would definitely follow up with the insurers...
and not just the insurers....i think the government should get involved in this..
people shouldn't be left on their own this way...

 

[tttessa]

Hi -

I'm sorry to be a voice of dissent - I do not think the government should get involved.

This was totally outside the control of anybody. Stuff happens, life's sometimes hard, but it goes on all the same - if the government don't get involved, we'll all learn a bit and we'll all save a bit more to cover all eventualities next time we go away, if they do get involved, then we have a little bit more responsibility for ourselves peeled away, and more expectation on the state to step in for future problems.

 

[Zeebs]

Hi -

I'm sorry to be a voice of dissent - I do not think the government should get involved.

This was totally outside the control of anybody. Stuff happens, life's sometimes hard, but it goes on all the same - if the government don't get involved, we'll all learn a bit and we'll all save a bit more to cover all eventualities next time we go away, if they do get involved, then we have a little bit more responsibility for ourselves peeled away, and more expectation on the state to step in for future problems.

I am all for the Government helping people get home, for example if they have navy ships in the area using them to ferry people home, but I don't agree with them having to hand out money and compensation to the stranded and or the airlines.

Kirsten

 

[PaulaSB12]

Ifound this on youtube which I think will explain why they shut down the airspace

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwSuNoRyDHA&feature=hp_SLN

 

[crmscotland]

I've had a call tonight from VH telling me we're booked on a flight to Gatwick tomorrow night.

Hazel, relieved to hear you and your family are coming home. Hope you all have a good flight and a relaxing weekend.

 

[disneyholic family]

i don't know what should be done now regarding financial compensation, but a lessons learned is definitely due...
the government dropped the ball big time.....why did it take them 5 days to realise there was an emergency??
as they said on sky news, the UK is an ISLAND - how in heavens name did the government not think that the closing of airspace might be an emergency for an island nation???

and why did it take the government 5 days to remember it has a navy???

and why did it take all the european governments 4 days to remember they have telephones and can pick them up to speak to each other??????

and why did the embassies do so little (as in nothing at all) for people who were stranded all over the world? where were the embassies? i thought that's part of their job description...to help citizens in distress...

it seems the government was asleep at the wheel...

we can't just say - oh well, mistakes were made, but now it's over....
lessons need to be learned for the next time.......

 

[tttessa]

The embassy in Spain helped my MIL have money wired to her...

 

[disneyholic family]

The embassy in Spain helped my MIL have money wired to her...

at what point? most of the embassies and the foreign office woke up on about day 3...

 

[Hilary]

Hi -

I'm sorry to be a voice of dissent - I do not think the government should get involved.

This was totally outside the control of anybody. Stuff happens, life's sometimes hard, but it goes on all the same - if the government don't get involved, we'll all learn a bit and we'll all save a bit more to cover all eventualities next time we go away, if they do get involved, then we have a little bit more responsibility for ourselves peeled away, and more expectation on the state to step in for future problems.

I agree in part - I don't think we should be looking at the government to foot the bill for individuals left out of pocket. However, if the airlines face going under because they are having to pay for stranded passengers' expenses, then maybe an option would be for the government to get involved to help bail them out if it was in the country's interests.

What I find really frustrating is that the insurance companies (some of them, at least) appear to be taking a back seat in all of this. When many airlines, travel companies, tour operators, hotels, etc. etc have tried their best to accommodate changes in travel plans / waived unexpected fees caused by the delays / made alternative arrangements for stranded passengers, it seems the insurance companies, 'don't cover' what has happened. I suppose that, if insurance policies covered all 'acts of god', the premiums would be so high that many travellers would choose to go without cover. It just seems to me that it shouldn't be too much to expect insurance to do what it says on the tin

 

[disneyangel]

We got back on Thursday after getting a minibus from Salou via France and Eurotunnel to London then trains and car back to Scotland.

We were due back the Saturday beforehand and despite trying to rebook a return flight that day could only get one on tuesday 27th -10 days later .

We found the situation in Spain to be a complete disaster . We had completely contradictory advice from government ministers and the Prime minister about how Madrid was to be used.

Different 'expert's' advsing of your rights and who was responsible for what and an airline (Ryanair) that seem to have no concern for the Eurpoean law at all.

Whilst I have some sympathy in the situation for the airlines I do think they all must know what the laws are and can't go around refusing to follow them and then retracting that for publicity purposes, especially when those stuck between are already stressed to the max and had no idea at that point when they would eventually get home .I'm pretty sure they made enough on their £1.00 per minute call line we were pointed to on the first day and from the £40 flight we had initially now being sold at £189

I took travel insurance and do think that we should get some cover or else what is the point of having it. I won't claim all my expenses back but on the other hand I've missed work through no fault of mine, have had to shell out more than the cost of my original holiday on getting home so I'm losing both ways and I still have all my normal outgoings.

I appreciate everyone will have their own opinion on the situation but from someone who was caught up in it it's not something I'd like to repeat. It's the UK for me this summer in case it's big brother follows suit.

But I will chalk it down to an experience we survived intact and a big adventure for our 7 year old daughter

 

[tttessa]

at what point? most of the embassies and the foreign office woke up on about day 3...

when she asked for help

 

[tttessa]

<snip>

But I will chalk it down to an experience we survived intact and a big adventure for our 7 year old daughter

I think that's a fantastic attitude to take! well done for getting back.


Tessa

 

[crmscotland]

We got back on Thursday after getting a minibus from Salou via France and Eurotunnel to London then trains and car back to Scotland.

Angela, glad you're all back safe and sound.

 

[juliebro]

Hi -

I'm sorry to be a voice of dissent - I do not think the government should get involved.

This was totally outside the control of anybody. Stuff happens, life's sometimes hard, but it goes on all the same - if the government don't get involved, we'll all learn a bit and we'll all save a bit more to cover all eventualities next time we go away, if they do get involved, then we have a little bit more responsibility for ourselves peeled away, and more expectation on the state to step in for future problems.

Absolutely agree!

 

[Rosie]

This is interesting and now I am safely home I am also reflecting on what could be learned from this.
Financially I would like the cost for my unexpected extra week away to be split evenly 3 ways between Virgin Holidays, Nationwide Insurance and myself. I don't object to paying my way at all and this was a no blame occurence imho. The ensuing chaos was unfortunate and irritating but hopefully we will all learn from it.
Why do Insurance Companies fail us morally? I have never made a fraudulent claim (not made many claims of any kind actually!) but I have absolutely no confidence that they will ever behave responsibly and help when it is needed. I chose a policy that offered good cover at a reasonable premium - not cheap and not through an unknown company. All of us involved should play our part and public funds should only be used if essential.

 

[disneyangel]

This is interesting and now I am safely home I am also reflecting on what could be learned from this.
Financially I would like the cost for my unexpected extra week away to be split evenly 3 ways between Virgin Holidays, Nationwide Insurance and myself. I don't object to paying my way at all and this was a no blame occurence imho. The ensuing chaos was unfortunate and irritating but hopefully we will all learn from it.
Why do Insurance Companies fail us morally? I have never made a fraudulent claim (not made many claims of any kind actually!) but I have absolutely no confidence that they will ever behave responsibly and help when it is needed. I chose a policy that offered good cover at a reasonable premium - not cheap and not through an unknown company. All of us involved should play our part and public funds should only be used if essential.

SO Glad you are home safe at last !.
I would agree with your sentiments having never claimed on our insurance previously either.

 

[originalkk]

Hi -

I'm sorry to be a voice of dissent - I do not think the government should get involved.

This was totally outside the control of anybody. Stuff happens, life's sometimes hard, but it goes on all the same - if the government don't get involved, we'll all learn a bit and we'll all save a bit more to cover all eventualities next time we go away, if they do get involved, then we have a little bit more responsibility for ourselves peeled away, and more expectation on the state to step in for future problems.

I'm sorry, but the government DID get involved. It was NATS, based on information from the Met Office, both government quangos, who imposed the blanket ban on flights, and who persisted with this blanket ban.

Their only method of determining the need for the ban was on the basis of a computer model assuming the eruption of a much larger Icelandic volcano. They had no means of assessing the actual level of ash in the atmosphere at various points as the only aircraft they had with effective air data instrumentation which could fly to 35000ft was out of service.

And before anyone says better safe than sorry, there is a small risk in everything, including flying, yet no attempt was made to realistically evaluate this risk based on empirical data. Compare how we reacted to this with how other countries with active volcanos (eg the US) deal with flight management.

Then there was bureaucrat inertia (the EU transport ministers didn't even have a teleconference for 4 days), only broken when the airlines forced the issue.