Volcanic Ash flight disruptions June 2011

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Ugh, booked late tomorrow mel-bne.

Any suggestions (other than wait and see).

Have done olci in the hope it confirms me at least on my booked flight, and/or confirms I intend to travel tomorrow so if there's another 6pm shutdown I could be moved to an earlier flight.

Should I ring tonight - my feeling is it won't achieve much due to too many unkowns.

I might add it's a major pita if I can't get back, but I'd rather be safe.
 
Looks like the Monday morning rush is not happening. Going to be a hell of a backlog of pax returning from a long weekend break.

Jetstar are still selling tickets for the 0710 & 0900 flights MEL-SYD for tommorow. Qantas has no flights for sale until 1500. Virgin is showing no tickets available at all tommorow for SYD/MEL

I won't mention that the forecast for Melbourne tomorrow starts with 'Morning fog' :shock:
 
I won't mention that the forecast for Melbourne tomorrow starts with 'Morning fog' :shock:

You have no idea how happy I am that I decided to do a day trip to Melbourne and come back on Saturday, rather than stay until late Sunday......
 
Hi guys, I am scheduled to fly out on wed from melba with Jetstar. Not too sure what the situation is with this ash cloud hovering over. I guess time will tell, but just wanted to se if any one had suggestions. I looked into possible land travel out of melb and then flying from one of the other cities but it looks like earliest i can get out is thurs. Will call jester tomo but was wondering if i should speak to amex insurance to see if i could get reimbursement for flight if i try and fly out a day earlier with a diff airline.Since some others are flying below the ash cloud. Any thought or anyone less in the same boat. I assume the amex plat reserve insurance should cover something like this.
 
I am not sure they have actually closed the airport. In bound (non QF) international flights still seem to be listed as on their way. Whether they divert or not remains to be seen.
I agree.

The METAR, TAF and NOTAMs for YMML do not mention a closure.

METAR
TTF SPECI YMML 121000Z 17010KT 9999 BKN012 11/09 Q1030 RMK RF00.0/000.2 NOSIG

TAF
TAF AMD YMML 120921Z 1209/1312 18008KT 8000 BKN012 BECMG 1301/1303 15010KT 9999 SCT020 SCT035 BECMG 1309/1311 VRB05KT 8000 HAZE FEW010 PROB30 1210/1302 0500 FOG RMK T 10 09 09 08 Q 1030 1029 1029 1028

ATIS
ATIS YMML R 120926 APCH: EXPECT INSTRUMENT APPROACH RWY: 16 FOR ARRS. RWY 27 FOR DEPS OPR INFO: RAPID EXIT TWY G NOT AVBL WIND: 170/10. MAX DW 3 KTS RWY 27 VIS: GREATER THAN 10 KM + CLD: OVC012 + TMP: 9 + QNH: 1030

I have not published all the NOTAMs as there are too many but they can be found here. Melbourne Airport.
 
Qantas are now listing all flights in and out of MEL tomorrow until 10am as cancelled.
 
Hello all from Melbourne Airport. It's very odd out here - the freeway out to the airport was almost empty, and the DJ end of the terminal was a ghost town, just one car in the drop off zone. International was a little better with people being dropped off, but then very busy at checkin counters 1-10 as people were on the Cathay flight. Some of these were people booked on other flights that didn't go - had a quick chat with a slightly frazzled looking agent but I couldn't work out where they were all from.

The other check-in bands were looking empty, QF deserted but I think there was a Singapore going out.

Security and immigration were really quiet, I didn't need to use my express card.

Sitting now in the CX lounge which is quite busy. I'm assuming QF30 refugees took any seats that were available.

Also, you could actually see the cloud earlier on. Some unusual cloud lighting tonight as well which may be related.
 
Qantas are now listing all flights in and out of MEL tomorrow until 10am as cancelled.

QF have kindly put me on an 11am flight at this stage.. Worst case I may catch a train!!! Gasp!!!
 
I'm in Hobart right now, due to fly out tomorrow night, and then to Sydney Tuesday morning for the VA lunch! I'm wondering if I should be booking a seat on the Spirit of Tasmania for tomorrow just in case...?? I don't want to miss that lunch!

Well if you do get stuck and are unable to attend. I'll your reserve. We agreed, remember? :p
 
You just don't take these kinds of risks. QF have made that call, there brand is based on safe flying so they want no to minimal risk.

DJ obviously felt better to wait as long as possible but ultimately came to the sane decision.

Who is right? Well it's possible they both are right for there particular brands. I'm sure DJ is aiming for close to the same risk level they probably thought waiting as long as possible is better for customers, although I think early notification is better.

Btw just because there are no incidents for those flying does not make the decision not to fly wrong. It's all about risk management.

Imagine if something did happen to either QF or DJ. Public faith in industry would be zero, revenue would drop jobs lost etc. I not sure what would be worst QF crash would kill them or DJ crash after another airline decided not to run.

Ultimately the effects are too great to take any more than any minimal risk. Even without a negative event like damaged engines this still effects reputation ie QF won't be damaged by being first to cancel.
 
I'm on hold to Qantas at the moment when I saw:

ChristineAhern[/URL] had tweeted:
Qantas board now has all flights cancelled till 12. Say they will make next announcement at 11. Virgin flying

Unsurprisingly, our QF609 flight was cancelled. However, disappointingly, I never received an email or sms from Qantas notifying me of this.
 
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Virgin resumed flights at 7:00AM,I hope they have made the right decision or this may end in tears.
Cheers
N'oz
 
I'm in AKL now. Came over last night for dinner. I was supposed to be back home this afternoon. Qantas has called me this morning and advised me they have cancelled their flights to MEL today. I was also told they may not be recommencing flights for several days TT.:confused::confused:
 
To a point these decisions are just another risk assessment and ultimately very subjective.

Yep, although commercial pressures do play a huge part in this (refer to the EU Ash incident last year and the gradual transition of opinion from airlines).


It is not even enough to say this as who really knows what (if any) damage has been done to the engines of those aircraft that did operate.

Hence my quote earlier about cowboys. Airlines can fly if they wish, but I hope these are for the right reasons, not the wrong reasons.
 
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Well if you do get stuck and are unable to attend. I'll your reserve. We agreed, remember? :p

Lol I'll let you know what happens!

My 1:40 flight LST-MEL is currently still going ahead, so I'll be driving up from Hobart in about an hour.

If that doesn't go, then I might be stuck as according to the news there will be no QF or JQ flights from Tassie today, although I haven't heard from either airline yet, and that news is not on their websites yet either.

Otherwise I've got my fingers crossed that either my QF WP or VA Gold will somehow put me at the top of the standby list for tomorrow morning!!
 
Apparently the Spirit of Tasmania has made 110 seats in the cinema available on tonight's and Tuesdays
sailings from Devonport and Melbourne.
Cheers
N'oz
 
We are booked on QF427 at 11am and I just received a SMS saying it's delayed til 11.45am.. Heading to the airport just in case!!
 
We are booked on QF427 at 11am and I just received a SMS saying it's delayed til 11.45am.. Heading to the airport just in case!!

At worst you'll have a long Stint in the lounge

Sent from my HTC Legend using AustFreqFly App
 
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