Posted on 04/19/2010 7:11:52 AM PDT by Dallas59
PARIS – As airline losses from the volcanic ash cloud spiraled over $1 billion on Monday, the industry demanded EU compensation and criticized European governments for relying too much on scientific theory — not fact — in their decisions to shut down airspace across the continent.
Shares of some European airlines fell as flight disruptions from the volcanic cloud moved into a fifth day, and the International Air Transport Association complained of "no leadership" from government leaders — one of whom admitted to EU dissension about how to respond.
"It's embarrassing, and a European mess," IATA CEO Giovanni Bisignani told The Associated Press. "It took five days to organize a conference call with the ministers of transport and we are losing $200 million per day (and) 750,000 passengers are stranded all over. Does it make sense?"
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Nature is not very cooperative with Utopia.
I am in the aircraft building business. If this goes on much longer and those billions and billions of dollars in aircraft orders these European airlines have won’t seem so important to them anymore. The post 9/11 slow down could look like a little bump in the road in comparison.
This will require a new tax on volcanic emissions to fund an airline bailout. Levied on US industry of course.
LOL! Just institute a volcano tax. Then we get to watch French farmers light tire fires at major intersections, while gay Germans cannibalize each other.
Oh wait, they'll do with or without a volcano tax.
Are any countries going to sue Iceland? I think they have about 3 Euros and a Bjork CD left in the bank.
I’d pass on the chance to watch two jet engine seize at 30,000 feet just because the airlines don’t want to lose anymore money......
They’ve tried to use Globullsmarmingcliamtechange on the volcano...I’m just waiting for the obligatory fault of the lack of national health care,Tea Party protests and the fault in general of the USA. Seems when faced with a natural realty...Socialists have a hard time understanding you can’t do a damn thing about it.
All it will take is one man made incident (engine failure) to bring the EU airline industry to a complete standstill for many months.
Any idea how high the particles can go into the atmosphere? I thought some of the top of the line business jets and some commercial jetliners can fly in excess of 40,000 feet. The 777 can fly as high as 43,100 feet. 757 (a lovely plane) 42,000 feet. Airbus A 340 41,000 feet.
They just need to make the service ceiling 50,000 feet or higher.
They will have to run more flights out of southern europe. Rome, Naples, Madrid, Lisbon.
Lufthansa und Air Berlin holen Tausende Deutsche zurück / Spiegel.de (in german)
They are flying VFR under the ash until they clear closed air space.
Lufthansa has been doing test flights and are contradicting the Air Safety Board results. They are putting heavy pressure on the EU.
IATA blasted the EU for 'miserable crisis management' as well.
Luftfahrtverband wütet gegen Europas Regierungen / Spiegel.de (in German)
Spiegel in English. Not as extensive reporting as the German side but still has good information.
Coming to a continent near you in a few days as the ash circumnavigates on the wind. Going to have nifty sunsets though.
I feel sorry for all of the stranded people, but this article is pretty amusing. Disfunction junction. It’s rather Katrina-esque.
Look at the savings on fuel costs and not having to buy carbon credits.
“Spiral”? Hell, Obama can spend that abount in less than 4 hours.
Too bad there is so much regulation on starting a ferry/ship line. Imagine the current opportunities existing now.
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