NATS have extended the closure of UK airspace until at least 16/4 1900 BST (34hrs and counting)

Just watching the SBS german news which showed a few European airports with all gates full.

In the segment it said that the last time this volcano erupted back in the 1820's it was belching out ash for 2 years!.

To make matters worst, passengers trying to get out of France by train can't because of a French Rail strike.

Looks like all the UK (and Frankfurt) bound flights from yesterday are still at their 'transit' points of Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Kong.

I noticed earlier that Virgin Atlantic had departed to HKG.

5pm statement from Qantas was that UK flights this weekend will probably be cancelled.

Also on PP now is QF31 heading to MEL (VH-OQC)?

QF5/9/29 have all been cancelled, and yesterday's QF1/5/9/29/31 are all stuck in BKK/SIN/HKG.

Today, QF31, VH-OQC is operating via MEL to SIN only.
QF1, VH-OJH is operating SYD to BKK only

What a clustermug!!

And now QF1 is airborne so a bit confusing as to why some flights are leaving and not others.

Neither of the BA flights have left (yet).

Latest report from PP is that some flights out of Scotland have departed as well as those from Wales and Ireland but limited number as ATC in different sections assess what flights can take place.

Current screenshot from Plane Plotter of Europe.

http://huppatz.com/Images/eurotraffic01-small.png
Click to enlarge.

I was on The Mound this afternoon and saw both BA aircraft on the stand-off bays and was surprised to see Virgin Atlantic had already left, and even more surprised to see QF1 depart at 1805...

On ABC news a Qantas spokesperson stated that they have despatched 2 a/c for Asia bound pax only. That explains QF1 to BKK and QF31 went to MEL to allow Asia bound pax from the 2 MEL flights to SIN.

He also said that they would be bringing back 2 a/c back from Asian ports.

A bit of activity over the UK/Ireland with 2 Aer Lingus A330's US bound and a couple of Thomsonfly a/c arriving at Glasgow and now Manchester.

I would think that maybe the BA pax in SYD went out on the QF flights, so no need to operate the BA aircraft.
But it would have been asian destination bound pax only.

Just got back from BNE with some family who were due to travel on EK433 to Dubai then EK009 to London Gatwick. We got to the airport, got told they weren't flying as Emirates have canned UK flights until the 19th.

They gave us the 1300 reservations number and said to call them to rebook flights.

A bit **** poor if you ask me. The chances of getting through on that number given the vast numbers of pax affected is ludicrously small...

NATS, the UK's equivalent to Air Services Australia, is the best place for updates on the UK airspace situation. http://www.nats.co.uk/index.html

Eurocontrol for mainland Europe: http://www.eurocontrol.int/corporate...news_list.html