blonde poker forum

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8621407.stm

Eyjafjallajokull is the best name ever for a volcano.

I'm not sure anybody can afford to go to Iceland and no I don't mean the chavvy shop where druggies and single mums shop.

Sent my daughter there last year for a 3 or 4 day school tour.  Was €1,400 just for the tour and still had to give her spending money for lunches and whatever!!!  GG 2k.

All flights to British airspace have been suspended after ash caused by the eruption of a volcano in Iceland forced air traffic controllers to restrict takeoffs and landings.

As the cloud travels south , people should stay indoors and close all windows

Radar shows all UK flights diverted to France

oh thats just flippin magic....

The clouds over Birmingham just now, heading south

How long can you hold your breath, lol

With BBQ season coming up, this is a great time for going to Iceland.

Buy one get one free on charcoal!

Just got home from work at T5 Heathrow,quite bizarre seeing nothing moving on such a lovely day.Feel sorry for those left at work having to deal with the choas.

Nice scaremongering, Crow. You should write for the Mail.

"The plume is so high that it will neither be visible nor pose a threat to the health of humans on the ground, although Dr Rothery added that we may have a "spectacularly red sunset" on Thursday evening."

Apparently The Moon, Mars and Venus and pretty close at the moment, all setting at once not long after sunset. If the sky is cloudless (apart from the ash, obv), could be an interesting sight.

Those gits in Iceland already owe us a fortune.

That's another £50 they've just had added to their bill for flouting the smoking ban.



Dear iceland,

Don't you think I've had enough trouble with Ash already this year?

Yours sincerely
Cheryl Cole


Dear iceland. We asked you to send your CASH.


We've always been big smokers in our family and we have loads of spare ashtrays.
That's why my mum's gone to iceland.


BBC News: "Volcano erupts near Eyjafjallajoekull in south iceland"

Relief and aid are unlikely to reach the area for several days... It's not hard to get to, it's just fucking impossible to type into a Sat Nav.

Sandy

How clear is the sky meant to be at the moment in Nottingham?  Is that cloud cover just normal stuff, or related to the volcano? 

Folks are due to fly from Gatwick on Saturday morning - I can see me driving them down tomorrow - gg volcano :(

Sorry, thought you were talking about later this evening.

Conspiracy theories have started

1. A large fleet of UFO's over UK have threatened to shoot down any aircraft that flies near them

2. Icelandic bankers have found all the billions of missing Euros and decided to burnt it quick before they have to give it back

3. There has been a nuclear accident and the fall out cloud is heading our way.

4. Its all Gordon Browns fault, he gets blamed for everything else

5. Astronomers asked to clear the skies so they can enjoy the nice sunset

Stranded passengers in France may need these handy translations

Where is the toilet ............Ou est la toilette

What time do you serve breakfast......Quelle hour est le petite dejourney

Can I have 4 sausages please .............can j'ai 4 saucisse s'il vous plaît

lol

FML.

I mean, I like Vegas.

But I don't want to be stuck here for a few months.

vegas ?

i'll trade ya vegas for alabama and mississippi...

Blatant brag post imo ;)

Try feckin Malta  ::)

I realised last week that I haven't won a live tournament since my little boy was born nearly 5 years ago.

Pretty depressing.

Chance to get that particular monkey off my back because I'm at the final table of Bellagio's $500 tournament tomorrow. Annette is chip leader though, so gl me (I'll need it)

Also found out that for the main event you start with 100k in chips and the blinds begin at 100-200.

It's going to be RedDog heaven!

GL Keith

 ;goodluck; ;goodluck; ;goodluck;

the kid is obv a jinx -  cut him loose!

only joking - glglgglglglggllgll - TID 1 time!

Best of luck!!!

you in malta ?

i got thru to BA last night and they rebooked the flight I was due to be on today (dallas - london).

for fuckin next fuckin wednesday.....



arrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've a very good friend living in Dallas.  If you want some suggestions for killing a few days, Mike's yer man.

My friend is getting married tomorrow in Northampton, she is Irish, her Mum flew over at the weekend, the rest of the family including her dad were due to fly out on Thursday........still no sign of them. Trying to get a light aircraft to fly them over at the mo. Not looking hopeful.

[ ] She is very calm about the whole thing

Oh man!  Why didn't they get on the next ferry over besides waiting for flights?!

They kept on being told they flights would be starting and then they kept putting the flights back and back. I think now the ferries are full.....and older people don't want to go on the boat....the journey would be too long for them ..

Aye, supposed to leaving yesterday morning but flights obv gg'd and then again today.

Was looking at Wednesday at one point but managed to get on a flight tomorrow night to Edinburgh. Was supposed to be going to the Scottish National tomorrow but won't make it now.

Its been pretty brutal ever since I joined...correlation not causation I'm hoping!!

Complete nightmare.

I am booked on flight to New York on Sunday from Heathrow, not liking my chances at this stage. I have paid for crap loads of stuff for my 7 week roadtrip in advance, everyday I don't get to the US is basically burning money.

Im stuck in Miami for 5 days, British Airways are putting me up free of charge and the family which is nice of them.

It's really hard to imagine the costs that something like this brings. I'm worried, very worried. If NATS don't change their critieria for reopening then I can see this lasting at least the week without unforecast winds coming to help. Girlfriend stuck in the US, employer taking a beating...bad times.  

I'm due to go to Vegas Tuesday, can't see that happening. Whilst the flight will be changed or refunded i'll be burning money for the two hotel rooms booked

Who are you booked through?

Standard Blatch rungoodaments

last time it erupted it kept going for 2 years

was going to run off to mummy's in spain for a week of being spoiled but FML and the volcano's,so now going to the vic for APAT due to someone not being able to make it due to flights,.,.,

That'd be cool. We'll have to use trans-atlantic liners again.

Total loss just to airllines > £600 Million.

Wouldn't it be cheaper just to plug the thing?

wonder how much the hotel chains are making....

Was talking to a fella tonight who was due to go home today after a weeks holiday here (Malta), him and his Mrs have been booked on a flight home on April 29th!!! The airline are picking up the tab for the hotel on a full board basis for the duration.

My 4th attempt home is now Wednesday through Frankfurt at £750 but I'm not holding my breath.

It better not still be erupting in june i wanna go to hong kong!

Expedia

My flight tommorrow has been cancelled. Trying again on Tuesday with virgin, reckon I did well to get Tuesday for no extra cost

Can't you get at least some money back, I'm pretty certain I have before although I lost a bit of it........

What's the difference between Cheryl Cole and Mount Eyjafjallajoekull?









Only One of them is still blowing Ash.

Yep should be able to get some back. Hotel has a 48 hour refund policy so will lose two nights worth, on 2 rooms. Frustrating thing is if I cancel tonight I would get a full refund on hotel.

The latest Radar  picture shows the ash cloud has moved from the north of UK.

Aircraft are flying in Spain and Italy.

Maybe it will clear soon,

My daughters stuck in Switzland, lol

i wouldnt mind being stuck here in the US if I hadnt got absolutely hammered last saturday night on Beale Street, memphis and lost my wallet containing my bank cards and credit cards...gg me

and I missed my maw and da's 40th wedding anniversary party tonight.....

But do you really feel the way you feel?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8628323.stm

Looks like the airlines are starting to question the ban. I mean if this carries on for much longer, I can see some being in serious financial trouble.

From 2 days ago :-

quote :-

There is, it seems, just one plane in the UK that is equipped to measure the volcanic ash in the atmosphere and make judgements on flying safety etc.

It's a BAe-146-301 large Atmospheric Research Aircraft belonging to Facility for Atmospheric Measurements.

Where is it? Up in the sky?

Nope, it's grounded "with all instruments removed prior to a repaint, and it would take at-least a week to get it airborne and fit for a science flight".

me:-

Another few days and there will be serious implications for import/export of everyday goods.

Most comes by boat as it's cheaper. I believe asparagus is one of the few things that come by plane.

http://www.flightradar24.com/  Interesting to see what's flying.

Sandy

I wasn't just referring to food / perishable goods.  Small parcels / fedex etc and stuff that only comes by plane.

Serious implications if things continue... 

I think inconvenient rather than serious to be fair........

Time will tell, more than a few airlines will also be going bust... 9/11 was bad enough for the airline industry, this has already caused bigger losses (including Rolls Royce, the industry was only starting to recover).

Not just sand but quartz also.

Fruit. Mission ****ed

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/northamptonshire/8627221.stm

I'll see your flightradar and raise you:

http://www.radarvirtuel.com/

Big flight companies challenging ruling to ground aircraft on grounds of safety. Sure will be fun to be a passenger in the ash cloud, after what happened last time
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVI0yLxFdHM

BA & KLM CEO's were on test flights today - I think the airlines are realising they need to pressure (maybe challenge is the better word) the authorities now. There just isnt the cash in aviation to stand this much past next weekend. Obviously safety always comes first, but there is always risk. Stopping flights because the risk is unknown (or linking to the completely different scenario of flying through a volcano plume like KLM and BA flights did in the past) isn't acceptable now.

Fingers cross for a combination of test flights having positive results and a change of wind direction to go with it.

In these modern times there is blame to be had. Trouble is you can't prove blame whilst you can't fly and you can therefore only be proved correct if someone flies and gets hit. That makes the decision maker an easy target.

Woe betide anyone who opens airspace and someone dies.


Maybe a crew and a plane full of passengers will volunteer to be the first to fly a proper flight fully laden.

Sandy

[ ] Me

[ ] (http://www.interestment.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/ba-baracus.jpg)

Latest radar shows the wind has changed and Scotlands getting the main stream of Ash

looks like i am getting cancelled again if the weather reports are to be believed....

im now just desperate to get home, hell i'll even fly economy....

nah, loads of stuff still flown in and out, we used to send a lot of seafood that way a few years ago and it looks like they still do

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8628794.stm?ls

First good news for ages.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8630455.stm

As stated BA flew a 747 on a 2hr test flight at various flight levels yesterday,i've just read the preliminary report.

In laymans terms there is nowt wrong with it.

Flight to Tenerife: £5
Sandwich on plane: £6
Use of toilet: £1
Week's free bed and board at luxury hotel, paid for by whiingeing irish millionaire: priceless

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8630438.stm

Does that mean if I take a flight through that zone that I will encounter no volcanic ash? If I do encounter a little, will my plane surely be safe?

This is a poker forum,therefore you must be a gambler,take a punt!

In all seriousness if they say its safe,it is safe.

Yeah poker made a risk-taker out of me :)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8629674.stm

"This is an unprecedented situation that is having a huge impact on customers and airlines alike," said BA chief executive Willie Wash.

On Sunday, BA ran a two-and-a-half-hour test flight over the Atlantic to assess any damage caused by the ash.

Mr Walsh said: "The analysis we have done so far, alongside that from other airlines' trial flights, provides fresh evidence that the current blanket restrictions on airspace are unnecessary.

"We believe airlines are best positioned to assess all available information and determine what, if any, risk exists to aircraft, crew and passengers."
 ;carlocitrone;

Need an unbiased objective opinion on whether it's safe to fly or not? Let's ask the guys who are losing £10M/day by not flying...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/apr/19/iceland-volcano-airspace-open-forecast

But Adonis said: "The current rule we have, which flows from the manufacturers' own guidance, is any ash, don't fly.

"There is a proper risk and safety regime," he said. "The issue is whether it is appropriate in current circumstances in the light of the findings of the test flights and the observational data." He stressed that for those stranded abroad, European Union airlines were responsible for providing food and accommodation.
."

A senior western diplomat has told the Associated Press agency that several Nato F-16 fighter planes were damaged after flying through the ash cloud, with glass-like deposits found inside the engines after patrols over Europe.

"Allied F-16s were flying and they did find glass build-up," one official told Reuters, without saying when the flight took place. "It was one plane. This is a very, very serious matter that in the not too distant future will start having real impact on military capabilities … if the volcanic ashes … issue doesn't disappear."

------This is pretty amazing. Did Willie Wash take this into account when he decided it was ok to put his passengers up in this environment? On the basis that one of their test flights found no problem? Kind of makes you question BA's whole approach to safety vs cost...

Frustrating as fuck. Wish virgin would pull their finger out and update on it's site. My booking for tomorrow shows active. My expedia account shows flight as due to depart an hour before schedule!!!
Need to know so can rearrange flights/hotel/taxi/annual leave

I hate the qoute by a "un-named source".

Have a look here;http://www.pprune.org/
Lots of BA pilots post on this forum,many who will fly t'mow if told it's safe to do so.

This.

My flight is scheduled to leave Heathrow at 17:15 which is right on the borderline of first possible flights out of London. I think they are pretty tough spot with departures to the us tomorrow as it really is touch and go given the current situation.

When I was cancelled for the same flight on Sunday Virgin text and emailed me mid afternoon on Saturday to say that I was cancelled, not had any news yet.

I am now officially going to use my "one time".

My expedia flight status was showing unavailable. now showing as flight leaving at 10:25 instead of 11:25. I'm pretty sure mine will be cancelled but who knows if they will delay or cancel..sigh

Awesome link thanks, seems to be stuff here http://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/412103-ash-clouds-threaten-air-traffic-8.html Starting at page 7-8

Virgin have now updated with this:

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/gb/passengerinformation/latestnews/index.jsp

Aaaaggggggggggggh I can't tell whether that deffo means my flight is cancelled or not. My flight isn't on the list of flights that may go.

Colin - i didnt realise RR monitor all engines in real time from Derby! Thats impressive!

The manufacturers guides really have been shown to be ridiculous... it'll be years before there is no volcanic ash in the atmosphere. Here's hoping for some wind to help us out over the next couple of days to get things back on track. I think 24 hour flying into LHR should be given for a few days too... wouldn't be popular with some though I'm happy to give up a bit of sleep for a working airport!

pprune really does deliver on everything aviation.

All in a positive day. It shouldnt have taken 5 days to get here but fingers crossed this is the begining of the end.

FFS
my flight been cancelled after virgin update. though still showing as active on my booking page
have been on hold to expedia for over 30 minutes now, their CS is a fkn joke

I'm guessing they may be experiencing unusually high call volume.

Hahah this is farcical I am now flying to LA on Sunday with Virgin, after they told me the first possible flight to JFK was not until 1st May.

This is ok with me as my roadtrip from Vegas starts on Monday to pick up my car etc.

Hekla is now erupting (other Icelandic volcano)

didn't this turn out to be a false report earlier?

Could be. I'm getting my news from facebook.

They've just been reporting about it on Sky News.  Not erupted yet, but the second one supposedly erupts soon after the first so the locals are getting worried now.

Typed Hekla into twitter and everyone seems to be twittering that the report is indeed false.

Katla is the one people in Iceland are worried about right now...not Hekla.

Taken from wiki:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katla

,have yo'am on a c
Yep pprune is great,have a read of the thread about the hosties strike,very interesting.Also the thread about stupid things passengers do.

All in all i'am glad i'am not on shift t'mow,I can't see many flights getting out maybe a handful and Heathrow will be more chaotic than usual.Luckily I'am on a course for the new 1st class product,have you seen it,it's the nuts.

and BTW get in 2-0

Yeah thats their usual BS line. been on hold over 90 mins now

Yeah, read that thread daily! First found pprune in 2002 when I was looking to become a pilot! Keep up to date with the BA stuff on there now - its amazing how accurate some of it is!

Do you know if there has been any 24hr flying at LHR, after 9/11 etc?

I saw the 1st class when it was in WTS, have to say I was a little unwhelmed but think it looks a lot slicker than the current one. I'm still a J class fan...food more suitable to my pallet and if I can get laid I'm always happy!

I'll have to find a good business reason for me to have a trip over to T5 engineering when all this gets cleared up, if you fancy giving me a tour!

Championship confirmed too! Happy days!

Bring some safety shoes and your on.In fact come on Weds loads sitting around we'll take one for a spin. lol

Will be in touch!!! I'm hoping you guys will be too busy by Wednesday!!

Errupting again now...NATS statement doesn't sound good. My GF is stuck in the US, about to miss a big birthday and god knows when a standby will get on a flight when we do start flying.  :(

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/04/more_from_eyjafjallajokull.html


Check out the pic of the flight near the eruption lol

if they can do it.....



seriously though, looking grim for a lot of people, this

Fkn steaming now
After nearly 3 hours get through to someone who takes my details and puts me on hold, then they cut me off!!!! the *****

Just w o w

i found BA 'club world' to be really underwhelming.

give me ole branson anytime,

Does this volcano make a noise, whats it sound like

I asked a travel agent if people are allowed to stay in their hotel rooms after their leaving date.

She said as the new visitors cannot get to the hotel, they can stay in their rooms

Shall we have a mini blonde bash for blondes stuck in the USA?

With the latest news looking fcking sick, I am thinking of getting a flight to Madrid and coming home across land.

Really annoying.

Guess its Monte Carlo then, gg Moorman.

They put some more here.

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/04/icelands_disruptive_volcano.html

So much money lost by the airlines, so much made for Icelandic Tourism lol

Hmmm pretty big turnaround all uk airports can open from 10pm even though the MET office still think there is ash over uk airspace.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8633597.stm

edit to add the link.

No dictated by BA at all!!!
Finally got through to expedia today. Next available flight was 8th May on premium economy, which were going for £1800 a time. Next economy was 23rd May, so thats when I go. On the brighter side hotel is cheaper then so I got a £27 refund!
GL me with getting the AL

Where were u flying from and who with? Thats up there with the longest I have seen (I've I've seen a lot in the last three days!)

Still lots more disruption to come - even if a large part of schedules run tomorrow the returns are likely to be cancelled that day. Plus any additional maintence checks that have been agreed to get up and running. Expect cancellations and delays for a few days yet - even then it'll be the end of next week before near normality.

Two planes just gone overhead in the last couple of minutes (LHR approach) which is very warming to hear!

I love the way it was announced about 5 minutes after I booked NYC to Barcalona tickets for my girlfriend to get back!

If there is a crash in the next few days then it's gg Labour in the elections.

Heathrow and Gatwick are letting planes land.

The one in Orange is Tokyo to London

Well it's back to work for me t'mow on lates after missing all five days of the airport being shut.I spoke to some of the guys at work earlier who were listening to the VHF radio communications of the flights coming in and apparently some quite heated discussions were going on with ATC.

I imagine i'am going to be very busy for the next few days as there is going to be a lot of extra checks going on,boroscoping engines,pitot/static instrument checks et al.Going to be quite a strange feeling putting the final signature on my first departure i'am sure.

I'm due to fly back from vegas on thursday - bit touch and go as continental don't seem to be flying anything into the uk atm.  Worst scenario is they ship us from lv to newark and gg us there rather than letting us stay in lv and reschedule the whole journey.

Other airports now open for landings only are

Birmingham and Nottingham East midlands

and Glasgow

I have found a few British Airways flights from Los Angeles as well

               BAW278           LANDED           Los Angeles Intl (KLAX)     London Heathrow (EGLL) 23:30
        B744
         BAW282       LANDED       Los Angeles Intl (KLAX)     London Heathrow (EGLL)   21:21
        B744

Do NOT let them ship you to Newark!!!  Trust me on this one!  Just absolutely refuse.  While they'll deny the following if confronted, they send you to some hotel/motel on the border of Pennsylvania that'll resemble just about every horror movie you've ever seen.  And the locals make 'Deliverance' seem tame.  Trust me on this one.  Been there, done that. 

LOL my stepdaughter doesnt go to Iceland anymore either,2 days into work expierience she quits!!!!!

ah the youth of today.

gf's mum is meant to be flying manchester>heathrow>JFK on sunday, that likely to be affected?

Manchester to Heathrow might be the tricky bit, all transatlantic flights seem to be going pretty much to a normal schedule today.

They've told her she has to check online the status of her flights.  She's never been on a computer in her life, so its either very unfair or b*llshit.

Her trying to tell my gf over the phone last night all the instructions shes been given sure went well.

Flying from Gatwick with Virgin. I expect there are earlier flights but thats what expedia have given me

How else can an airline get that info to people though?

They may have frozen the availability on the flights through to this weekend that may now be up for grabs. Not sure how many flights a week Virgin have but 8th May is taking the piss imo.

On Virgin Atlantic's site they will not except any new bookings until 1st May. I had to fight a bit on the phone on Monday to get my flight to LA on Sunday instead of them trying to fly me to New York again on May 1st, I did get the booking changed free of charge which is a result.

Got into Edinburgh from Malta last night via Frankfurt and Heathrow. Malta flight was full but the oher 2 were only about 1/3 full which I found surprising.

The whole episode has been a farce with regulators making decisons based on the fact that they know feck all so lets pull everything to be safe.

got into edinburgh this afternoon at 3pm after a pretty epic journey including a trip to dallas. even weirder that i ended up sitting next to a guy who grew up round the corner from me, on the dallas-london leg....

Glad to say my daughter has made it back to UK

She says "got a bus into Zurich HB, then a train to Geneva, then a train to Lyon, then a train to Paris, then used the metro to get across Paris, then got a train to Caen, then was on a ferry for 7 hours, then got a train from Portsmouth to London, then the bus home from Waterloo. Then found my front key wasn't working and was let in by a neighbour. Sleeeeep in a minute, so tired.

Shes been hot air Ballooning in Switzland,  I'm really glad shes back

Blimey!  She wasn't going to be told 'you can't get home yet'  lol  Well done to her and lovely pic too!

Probably should have ballooned back. She didn't really think that one through did she?  :dontask: ;D

Obviously you've never been ballooning through volcanic ash.

All that and now she'll have to listen to Crow's tales?...poor  girl ;)