Iceland volcanic ash sparks more flight disruptions

Rather impressive that an ash cloud from Iceland could stop europe.

Europe is suddenly thrown back 100 years - rather funny to watch from here, in Japan (I'm European)...

Lot of difference between polluted air and ash. The ash can make the airplane engines stop. Planes would be falling out of the sky over Europe. I remember when Mt. St. Helens erupted in Washington. I was working on a military base with a lot of bunkers containing missiles, torpedoes, and other ordinance. They were pretty concerned that if the ash cloud hit their area, the cooling systems for the bunkers would stop functioning, which isn't a very good thing. Hopefully the circulation systems in houses, businesses, etc., in Europe will not be affected too much.

if you consider that the volcano can erupt for several years like in the past (might stop tomorrow), if you consider that it might announce the wake up of it's neighbor, the ashes might continue to spread around the world.

Not time to buy any airline company stocks...

Most air travel is still suspended in Ireland and the UK until 7pm GMT at least, but nobody seems to know for sure how long this is going to last. Planes are still able to fly west out of Ireland though. They say we may be having sunsets like the ones Turner painted for a while!

The UK asked Iceland to send C-A-S-H, not A-S-H.

the ashes might continue to spread around the world...

They probably will. Might be a cool summer and a very cold winter. When Tambora blew up the NE USA had what is still remembered as "the year without a summer." There was snow in July.

The UK asked Iceland to send C-A-S-H, not A-S-H...

Yep, and the Icelandic voters responded.

Some of the passengers might even enjoy the flight. Quote from para 7 above: Fearing that microscopic particles of highly abrasive hash could endanger passengers...

I can assure you that as another European in Japan this is very far from amusing. After 9 years living in Japan was due to fly back to London yesterday only to get to the gate and have BA tell us, 2 hours after the flight was due to leave, that said flight was cancelled. Spent 8 hours in the airport with no refreshments provided and, disappointingly, virtually no information from BA. Now stuck in Japan until wednesday at the earliest. Far from being funny, it is turning out to be very expensive.

"Spent 8 hours in the airport with no refreshments provided and, disappointingly, virtually no information from BA. Now stuck in Japan until wednesday at the earliest. Far from being funny, it is turning out to be very expensive."

Machidaman, be happy you're stuck in Japan and not elsewhere in the world where passengers are far more worse off then you. Like Newark Airport for example. The Americans took advantage of the crisis; hotels around the airport quickly raised their room rates with 200%. People who were standing in line for more then 3 hours were suddenly ordered to move to the back of the line. Because airport staff found it necessary to rearrange the lines again, for reasons unknown. Complainers were ordered to leave the airport. All that Continental and United could say was "It's not our problem". No places to sleep were provided....no water....only a big mouth! Consider yourself lucky, Machidaman.

""When Tambora blew up the NE USA had what is still remembered as "the year without a summer." "

Yes. Most definitely. Read the Wikipedia article on this, people. This is likely to have a discernible effect on weather, global warming policy, etc. I am very concerned about global food supplies being affected by the ash. Most of the recent volcanoes have not been too bad, but I recall that Pinatubo had some measurable effect. This is likely to be much worse, first for Europe, then for the rest of the northern hemisphere.

As a survivor of the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens (remember that one?), there was no significant issue with global food supplies. Our crops were initially flattened, but volcanic ash contains many minerals that in years to follow, made our vegetation quite healthy. I also would not make Wikipedia a reliable source for anything...

To back up Pump24 just look at Hawaii with all its volcanic activity and its still so green,and they are used to days when its dusty/foggy from the occasional ash.The Experts did say that big eruptions can drop the Worlds temperature by one degree,and that this was not a big eruption.

My thoughts are with the locals in Iceland and the flooding it's causing,and the folks who can't travel home or away.