Let’s leave Brown out of it – for now. There must be some knowledgable members here who can shed some light on the increasingly anomalous situation. There have now been a great many aircraft flying in France, Spain, Portugal, Holland, Belgium, Germany at every flight level and no emergencies as far as we know. So, something just does not add up. Is some authority somewhere really putting thousands of travellers at risk? No, of course they are not.

I am with Andy on this one, it should be upto the airline/flight ops/crew for the safe operation of flights. NATS are there as an ATC Service provider, that is what they should be providing.

A question: What is the difference between flying through ash – as it is over the UK and europe – and flying through a sand storm taking-off from somewhere like Dubai?

Anyone?

Statement on Icelandic volcanic eruption: Monday April 19, 1530
The volcanic eruption has reduced and the volcano is not currently emitting ash to altitudes that will affect the UK. Assuming there are no further significant ash emissions we are now looking at a continuously improving situation.

Based on the latest information from the Met Office, NATS advises that the restrictions currently in place across UK controlled airspace will remain in place until 0700 (local time) tomorrow, Tuesday.

From 0700 (local time) tomorrow, Tuesday, Scottish airspace will be open, and south to a line between Teeside and Blackpool. Mainland Scottish airports will be open.

This is a dynamic and changing situation and is therefore difficult to forecast beyond 0700 local; however, the latest Met Office advice is that the contaminated area will continue to move south with the possibility that restrictions to airspace above England and Wales, including the London area, may be lifted later tomorrow (Tuesday).

We will continue to monitor Met Office information and review our arrangements in line with that. We will advise further arrangements at approximately 2100 (local time), today.

It is now for airports and airlines to decide how best to utilise this opportunity. Passengers should contact their airlines to find out how this will affect their travel plans.

Can they bring back their old colour-scheme? Perhaps bring the B737’s back from bmiBaby, with the grey wings.

The change to bmi from British Midland could have been so much more, but it was not to be.

Fantastics shots of a very interesting aircraft!

Granted

But, was the BA flight in the ash affected area for more than an hour? Is this a good test bed for “sustained” periods of flying within the affected area? For instance, we fly from Exeter to Edinburgh, 1hr 10mis airborne, this would be completely inside the affected area. This is slightly different than BA conducting a test to see if they can fly across the atlantic or not, and maybe shouldn’t be used as a benchmark for other airlines operating solely within the affected areas.

I totally understand your viewpoint, and it may be that a turboprop would be more susceptible to damage by design.

I’d imagine the Q400 could quickly get through the affected areas and above FL200.

There are a number of factors that need to be considered, and I am not the one to be making these decisions.

However, my opinion is that flights within europe would be safe. My reasoning is that the particle size and density are the biggest factors, and it is easy to assume that the further from the source you are the smalller those two factors are.

Just need a Flight Engineer for your crew – Capt. Bmused, FO PMN….:D

Head to Africa and you can take one with just one man, apparantly…