I wonder if the Volcano is going to affect Pete's trip to Europe?

[alebisi]

My parent are in Italy. They were supposed to fly home out of Milan on Tuesday. Now, who knows? I'm sure they'll make the best of it!

Melissa

From the tv I know many people is using trains and other trasports, unfortunately all train tickets seems to be sell. Rent cars are crazy, all cars had been taken.
They are doing a flying test today to see how's the situation and when flights will be available again. But it seems that on Tuesday all Italy will be covered with the "volcano clouds". Hope your folks are doing ok.

 

[msteddom]

From the tv I know many people is using trains and other trasports, unfortunately all train tickets seems to be sell. Rent cars are crazy, all cars had been taken.
They are doing a flying test today to see how's the situation and when flights will be available again. But it seems that on Tuesday all Italy will be covered with the "volcano clouds". Hope your folks are doing ok.

Thanks Alessandra! I'm sure they're fine! I just hope they can enjoy themselves on their forced extended vacation. I just need to make arrangements for their dog.

Melissa

 

[Gav N Becx]

I really hope things work out for you!

Thanks for thinking of us Kate.

Flicking between the beeb & Sky news channels for any updates. Apparently Ryanair have now cancelled flights up to 1pm on Wednesday. Other airlines may follow - will need to keep checking.

We are going to call DCL tomorrow to see what their policy is and also get in touch with our travel insurance provider. Really don't want to have to consider rescheduling this, but looking like it will cost upwards of £600 to get to Barcelona by alternative means. Train prices are going through the roof!!! The alternative is to put 2000+ miles on my car or go for a hire cars at about £500, not taking fuel into account. What happens with Pete's travel arrangements will likely influence our decision - spending some time with them is one of the main reasons for the trip.

Let's keep hoping that air travel will be able to resume!!!!!

I would like to add that I am grateful we are in the lucky few. At least we are safe at home right now. Our thoughts go out to the thousands of people stranded in other countries, desperate to get home.

 

[dizneedoll]

Thanks for thinking of us Kate.

Flicking between the beeb & Sky news channels for any updates. Apparently Ryanair have now cancelled flights up to 1pm on Wednesday. Other airlines may follow - will need to keep checking.

We are going to call DCL tomorrow to see what their policy is and also get in touch with our travel insurance provider. Really don't want to have to consider rescheduling this, but looking like it will cost upwards of £600 to get to Barcelona by alternative means. Train prices are going through the roof!!! The alternative is to put 2000+ miles on my car or go for a hire cars at about £500, not taking fuel into account. What happens with Pete's travel arrangements will likely influence our decision - spending some time with them is one of the main reasons for the trip.

Let's keep hoping that air travel will be able to resume!!!!!

I would like to add that I am grateful we are in the lucky few. At least we are safe at home right now. Our thoughts go out to the thousands of people stranded in other countries, desperate to get home.

I really hope you and Pete, Walter, Max and everyone else who is going get to go! Keep us posted.
Sending extra pixie dust that it will all work out and you'll be on your cruise!

 

[Gregowa]

I wonder if anyone has contacted Disney to see if they are going to make concessions with this volcano eruption like they do for hurricanes. There is a whole policy for hurricane trip cancellations - the link for it is here:
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/hurricane-policy/ It might be worth it to check with Disney about it since there areso many affected by this.

 

[safetymom]

DCL is monitoring the situation and is working on alternate plans. I would imagine it is hard to know what to do in this situation.

 

[wishspirit]

I would like to add that I am grateful we are in the lucky few. At least we are safe at home right now. Our thoughts go out to the thousands of people stranded in other countries, desperate to get home.

It is terrible! I know my old school is currently on a trip to NYC and Washington. At least 30 teenagers are stuck with a few teachers! I can't imagine as a teacher how I'd feel, sorting out how to look after 30 young people, with no firm date set of when they'd get home!

 

[luke]

Friend of mine is a pilot for easyjet, he doesn't think they'll be back up until Wednesday at the earliest, tho from an inside point of view he admits that noone really knows anything!
I'm taking 32 school kids to Barcelona at the end of may, should be ok but as Becx says, the knock on effects of this will last a fair while.

Hope everyone gets where they're going ok

 

[cslittle999]

There was an AirTransat flight from Glasgow to Toronto today. Not that that helps Pete, Walter and Max any but it is a sign that other will hopefully be able to start traveling soon.

 

[aGoofyMom]

I hope everyone's travel plans work out well, and safely.

My parents land in Rome Monday morning with a Holland America cruise. They called yesterday to let us know what we needed to take care of and that the cruise line is putting them up in Rome for a week. I hope it all works out since they had intended to fly home due to the cost of hotel rooms.

Our only other concern is medication. Mom has Crohn's disease, and only has an extra 5 days worth of meds. We have talked to our local pharmacy who gave some suggestions as to how to obtain more while over there. They said if the original bottles were taken to a clinic or pharmacy, they would likely be able to get a 10 day supply.

Otherwise, everything is under control and a new adventure for them! They even figured out how to use their webmail to send us all the info we need. Next thing you know they will be sipping cappuccino in an internet cafe updating us on Facebook!

 

[alebisi]

I hope everyone's travel plans work out well, and safely.

My parents land in Rome Monday morning with a Holland America cruise. They called yesterday to let us know what we needed to take care of and that the cruise line is putting them up in Rome for a week. I hope it all works out since they had intended to fly home due to the cost of hotel rooms.

Our only other concern is medication. Mom has Crohn's disease, and only has an extra 5 days worth of meds. We have talked to our local pharmacy who gave some suggestions as to how to obtain more while over there. They said if the original bottles were taken to a clinic or pharmacy, they would likely be able to get a 10 day supply.

Otherwise, everything is under control and a new adventure for them! They even figured out how to use their webmail to send us all the info we need. Next thing you know they will be sipping cappuccino in an internet cafe updating us on Facebook!

Is everybody in italy these days????
Anyway your mom's medication should be fine if she has the bottles and have her passport with her, if she has the medical prescription maybe this can help also to testify she needs them. Hope everything goes fine.

 

[Tinkershelly]

We might not be in the clear here in North America. The ash is also moving west as the first airport in Canada has cancelled flights because of the ash. Flights out of the airport in St. John's, NL have been cancelled this morning. http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/797379--ash-forces-st-john-s-to-cancel-flights

 

[disneyholic family]

We are due to fly out to Barcelona on Saturday morning for the cruise but are now looking at alternative ground routes as a backup.
Seriously considering paying £360 for full fare Eurostar tickets London to Paris on Friday (full fare so we can get a refund if the airlines resume service and we fly instead).
Then we're looking at getting an overnight train from Paris to Barcelona - at least this will guarantee us making the cruise.

Couldn't miss this, especially with some of the great stuff we're going to be doing!

Even if flights do resume, we are seriously worried about there being delays etc and not getting to the port in time. Our flight gets us to Barcelona at 11am on Saturday, so a knock on delay of services could mean we miss the boat. I really never ever expected all of this. Thank goodness we are one of the lucky ones and actually able to make alternative arrangements if needs be, even if it does cost us several hundred pounds to do so.

Pete is flying with Delta. Apparently he has heard that nothing is going out of the US until at least Wednesday (the day they are due to fly). Pete also mentioned that DCL is preparing to make alternate arrangements for anyone who can't get out. Exactly what those alternate arrangements are, I don't know. Hoping to get a chance to catch up with him before heading out....
We may also get in touch with DCL to find out more but at the moment we're keeping our fingers crossed that normal airline services resume by midweek. Maybe that's too hopeful ?????

we have a guest who arrived on delta yesterday - so they're flying across the atlantic, just not to europe i guess...

the national airline here has done a good job of getting people out of europe back home for the holiday here today...
they bussed and trained everyone down to spain and italy, and then sent planes there to fly their passengers out in time for the holiday...
They started doing that the moment the skies were closed last week....

but i know there are a lot of europeans stuck here (including, i think, tony blair)...

 

[Cyrano]

There was an AirTransat flight from Glasgow to Toronto today. Not that that helps Pete, Walter and Max any but it is a sign that other will hopefully be able to start traveling soon.

Glasgow was open for a short window before NATS (National Air Traffic Services) closed it down again.

Gav keeping my fingers and toes crossed that this works out for you both along with Pete, Walter and Max

 

[Willow1213]

My boss is stuck in Barcelona right now. She was on an 18 day trip through Spain, Italy, and Morocco. She said it will probably be Thursday or Friday at the earliest.

We do not get along so I do not mind her being gone one bit! I was glad to have her out of my hair for 18 days and now I get more time free from her.

I do hope the skies clear up so that people can begin flying again very soon and I wish everyone safe travels.

 

[~Fisharefriends~]

colleague of Dh's is currently stuck in florida who should have flown home on saturday. Airline have been in contact today and even if flights resume tomorrow they cant guarantee them a seat back to Gatwick until the 1st May!!!! a 10day holiday in orlando could be a month!, luckily dh's company have an office in lake mary and a nice employee there has offered accomadation.

 

[richard_andmel]

They are reporting UK flight ban lifted tomorrow. So Gav & Becx should be ok.

 

[Cyrano]

Encouraging news about flights in Scotland and North England http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8630455.stm

 

[luke]

Encouraging news about flights in Scotland and North England http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8630455.stm

Yep. My friend has been told he'll 99% be flying from Liverpool to Berlin tomorrow morning

 

[Becx N Gav]

My boss is stuck in Barcelona right now. She was on an 18 day trip through Spain, Italy, and Morocco. She said it will probably be Thursday or Friday at the earliest.

We do not get along so I do not mind her being gone one bit! I was glad to have her out of my hair for 18 days and now I get more time free from her.

I do hope the skies clear up so that people can begin flying again very soon and I wish everyone safe travels.

at least it's good news for you

Yes looking a lot more promising that flights will be leaving tomorrow, hoping they stay like this too. Thanks everyone for your well wishes, I'm glad they are picking up stranded brits now.