Volcanic Ash cancels flights to Mallorca (and other less important places)

[clinkham]

Looks like I'm first off with this news, though I'm sure anyone travelling today will be aware.
Turned up at Leeds/Bradford at 5 this morning to be told due to ash from a volcano in Iceland all flights cancelled. After checking for 'You've been framed' cameras we realised it was a true story.
Back home now after Jet2 rebooked us to same flight tomorrow - fingers crossed. Downside at the moment is they still have us returning next Thursday, giving us one day less in PP. Hoping to sort that out with Jet2 Holidays before we fly tomorrow (if we fly tomorrow!!).

Must say Jet2 staff, and the airport info kiosk guy (to re-arrange weeks prebooked carpark) were first class -helpful, pleasant and professional. They had come into work at 4am (takes a certain person to be able to do that) and were confronted with a total shutdown and hundreds of passengers milling about, but when we left for home at 6am they seemed to have things under control.

Just wondering what Palma airport is like!!

Hopefully the cloud will pass over and we will get away tomorrow morning.

 

[Sparky]

Yes, bad news indeed. I feel so sorry for people affected by this, it looks like all airports in the UK and Scandinavia are closed, lets hope the cloud soon disappears and things can get back to normal.

 

[Cocoa07]

Just read that all UK airspace is closed to non-emergency flights until 6.00am tomorrow morning. My hubby is stuck in Barcelona trying to get back. Have to say that Monarch were not terribly helpful and instead seem to be more bothered about hiking up the price of flights rather than taking calls!

 

[sws97sdg]

Restrictions will be in place until at least 1.00 tomorrow afternoon

 

[clinkham]

Hopefully the cloud will pass over and we will get away tomorrow morning.

It's not to be. Fridays flights cancelled. So reluctant decision to cancel the holiday.

 

[mike_dublin]

further UK flights suspension (until Sat 0100)

BBC News update:
Flights across the UK are to remain grounded for a second day as volcanic ash from Iceland drifts across Europe.

At 0830BST, the air traffic control body Nats extended its unprecedented restrictions on UK airspace until at least 0100BST on Saturday.

...

A further update is expected at 1330.

BBC News - Iceland volcano: UK flights grounded for second day

 

[Mark]

A real shame for all the cancelled and delayed holidays

The Met office website has some good satellite images showing the ash plume and ice cloud:

Met Office: Iceland Volcano satellite imagery

click on play and it loads 24 hours of images.( images later in the day than the current time are yesterdays, it cant show the future )

A huge ash plume showing at 08:00 today the 16th, North of Scotland, hardly surprising the flights are cancelled again today.

 

[El Gordo]

BmiBaby customer Services

Just helped out friends who are "stuck" in PP due to the volcanic Ash.

They needed to transfer flights today to the next available. They flew out with BmiBaby.

The BMIbaby site quoted:

To rebook a flight following a cancellation:

Any passengers who were booked to travel on one of the cancelled flights can transfer to the next available flight free of charge within 21 days of the original flight date, subject to availability.

Our reservations centre is open from 0800 until 2200 on Thursday 15 April, and from 0800 until 2100 on Friday 16 April, please call: 0844 2450055.


If you are calling from outside the UK please call +44 8458 101100. Due to the exceptionally high volume of calls our phone lines are operating at maximum capacity so your patience is appreciated at this time.


This is a premium rate number and will cost a fortune especially when phoning from PP.

However, using saynoto0870.com I found a non premium number 01332854858 which was answered immediately.

Flight transfered from today to Tuesday. (the earliest flight Volcano permitting!!)

Hope this helps others stranded who fly with Bmi.

good luck to those in this situation.

 

[shotokan]

I tried to follow the 'rebook free of charge' link on the Ryanair website for my family (stuck at PMI), but then found I faced a sizeable bill if I confirmed?... doesn't look like any Ryanair seats now available until next Thursday...the backlog is obviously growing!

 

[clinkham]

It's not to be. Fridays flights cancelled. So reluctant decision to cancel the holiday.

Officially cancelled the package this afternoon with the promise of a full refund.
Don't want to sound like an advert for Jet2, but call centre staff have been very good and professional in what must be a very difficult situation. Not half as difficult as someone stranded in Palma with a family, I know, but it's only fair to give credit where its due.

Jet2 HOLIDAYS (as opposed to flight only) customers have their own web page with instructions - it's location may not be immediately obvious, so here is the link -
Jet2holidays Information - Jet2holidays.com

 

[clinkham]

I tried to follow the 'rebook free of charge' link on the Ryanair website for my family (stuck at PMI), but then found I faced a sizeable bill if I confirmed?... doesn't look like any Ryanair seats now available until next Thursday...the backlog is obviously growing!

Jet2 (I know, I know! I do NOT work for Jet2!) were saying re rebooking a cancelled flight, that if you couldn't contact call centre (due to volume of callls etc) to arrange refund on original booking, to go ahead and book a new flight, then forward details of both bookings and they will refund the original in due course.

Whether Ryanair can be trusted to do this.......??

 

[sws97sdg]

Ryanair cancels all flights to and from the UK until at least 13.00 Monday

 

[med777]

no idea if this will help.. but for the moment, Ireland and Scotland seem to be able to fly( west direction from scotland)... so if u can get a flite to ireland/ scotland then train/bus to wherever

Miriam

 

[The Wob]

This is now looking more serious for those of us stuck in Mallorca. If the flight situation continues for say another 2/3 days (which looks likely) than for must it will mean a flight back home towards the end of the week due to the back log.

Thinking about a ferry from Alcudia and then a train from Barcelona to Paris, but I imagine that this train will be already booked, and not just with holidaymakers. So, might mean a night or 2 in a hotel and so the journey back turns into a marathon. No Eurostar space until Monday, and this will soon get booked up.

It might need someone to start chartering some coaches, there must be plenty of capacity until the season gets going.

Oh well, off to the Pollenca wine festival to start planning.....

Good luck everyone!

 

[Sparky]

One family stranded here have been told they will have to wait until Thursday for a flight, i know people who had gone back to the UK to visit family before the season gets going and don't know when they will get back.
You might think it's good news for the bars/restaurants but if it goes on too long the people stranded here will run out of money (if they already haven't), and with no new people spending it could get very serious.
Looking at the news this morning, it seems like this cloud is getting worse. I feel very sorry for everyone who is being affected by this and hope things improve quickly.

 

[frito]

Problems In The Port

This morning there were queues of people outside the Villa office near to El Ancla.
People seem to be trying to get accommodation because they can't get off the island.

Not a good situation.

Frito

 

[Nick]

"This is now looking more serious for those of us stuck in Mallorca. If the flight situation continues for say another 2/3 days (which looks likely) than for must it will mean a flight back home towards the end of the week due to the back log."

Blimey, oh to be stuck in that situation !!!! Rather that way round than the other !

I don't think the situation will last that much longer though. I do feel sorry for people who have had to move out of their accommodation and get something else sorted though, that will be expensive.

 

[clinkham]

Jet2 update 17/1640

Cheap Flights | Book Flights Online | Jet2.com for flight only

Jet2holidays Information - Jet2holidays.com for Jet2 holiday customers. An important paragraph from this page is copied below.

""If you are in resort and are unable, at this time, to return home, please do not re-book your inbound flight. We will arrange your flight home for you and contact you. We are also providing accommodation free of charge in accordance with our customer welfare policy and will contact you with details of the arrangements.""

I wonder if this means that when flying is resumed, extra planes (jumbos even!)will be chartered and everyone will be packed onboard, irrespective of what carrier you were booked with?

We had a delay once homeward from Crete. An obscure American charter company turned up with an elderly Tristar. The flight staff were calling out 'you're troubles are over, the Yanks are here!!' They had been diverted from East Africa - I have always worried they may have been involved in rendition flights!!

 

[The Wob]

A story from the BBC website:

"Came to Barcelona to watch Barca play on Wednesday night as a treat for my son's 10th birthday, and we're still stuck! Have just booked first available train from Barcelona to Paris on Monday night and then booking Eurostar from Paris to London. All hire cars sold out, buses full, trains full and doesn't help with the French having an intermittent rail strike so French travel is at your own risk! Just want to get home now!"

We are hoping that if we cannot book a flight towards the end of the week, that things might improve with trains in Europe by say Wednesday.....

 

[CathB]

We are due to fly out on Sunday 25/4...just wondering what affect any backlog will have (assuming they have resumed of course)...i feel so sorry for those stuck trying to get back - especially with children