Remember that ash cloud? It didn't exist, says new evidence.

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Shake&Bake

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Britain's airspace was closed under false pretences, with satellite images revealing there was no doomsday volcanic ash cloud over the entire country.

Skies fell quiet for six days, leaving as many as 500,000 Britons stranded overseas and costing airlines hundreds of millions of pounds.

However, new evidence shows there was no all-encompassing cloud and, where dust was present, it was often so thin that it posed no risk.

The satellite images demonstrate that the skies were largely clear, which will not surprise the millions who enjoyed the fine, hot weather during the flight ban.

Estimates put the number of Briton still stuck abroad at 30,000.

Jim McKenna, the Civil Aviation Authority's head of airworthiness, strategy and policy, admitted: 'It's obvious that at the start of this crisis there was a lack of definitive data.

'It's also true that for some of the time, the density of ash above the UK was close to undetectable.'

The satellite images will be used by airlines in their battle to win tens of millions of pounds in compensation from governments for their losses.

The National Air Traffic Control Service decision to ban flights was based on Met Office computer models which painted a picture of a cloud of ash being blown south from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano.

These models should have been tested by the Met Office's main research plane, a BAE 146 jet, but it was in a hangar to be repainted and could not be sent up until last Tuesday - the last day of the ban.

Evidence has emerged that the maximum density of the ash was only about one 20th of the limit that scientists, the Government, and aircraft and engine manufacturers have now decided is safe.

British Airways chief Willie Walsh always insisted the total shutdown went too far.

'My personal belief is that we could have safely continued operating for a period,' he said.
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More at the Daily Mail.
 
I've said it a thousand times and I'll say it again: STOP POSTING DAILY MAIL SPAM IN CURRENT AFFAIRS!
 
Interesting...I would rather err on the side of safety when it comes to falling 30000 feet whilst strapped to a leather armchair, however! ;)
 
Its the Aliens They Did it

// dance around in tinfoil shoezzz!!

Or maybe it's the AWB trying to sabotage the WC...


// flame suit.
 
Fazda said:
Interesting...I would rather err on the side of safety when it comes to falling 30000 feet whilst strapped to a leather armchair, however! ;)
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Good to see you enjoy flying in luxury ;)
 
blunomore said:
Are they implying that there was a more sinister reason behind closing down flights ... ?
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Possible, theres alot of people who want/need evidence of conrails and its affects on global warming.
To test they need clear skies almost impossible, unless...

But ye still far fetched I think.
 
hawker said:
Good to see you enjoy flying in luxury ;)
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Is there any other way...? ;)
Conrails are the trails left by jets in the sky...apparently there was an increase in ground temp in the States after 9/11 when planes were all grounded...probably led to warmer days in the UK and Europe this time around...provided the ash cloud din't cool things off any further! :p
 
*tinfoil hat*

Labour wanted to keep 500 000 Brits away from the polls. Unfortunately the volcano ran out of puff too soon :D
 
Fazda said:
Is there any other way...? ;)
Conrails are the trails left by jets in the sky...apparently there was an increase in ground temp in the States after 9/11 when planes were all grounded...probably led to warmer days in the UK and Europe this time around...provided the ash cloud din't cool things off any further! :p
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I think the question was aimed at the spelling error: contrail.
 
british companies are only protecting their interests against getting sued.
consumers can't have it both ways.
they brought this upon themselves.
 
EtienneK said:
I've said it a thousand times and I'll say it again: STOP POSTING DAILY MAIL SPAM IN CURRENT AFFAIRS!
Click to expand...

Say it a thousand more - I still won't care :)

murraybiscuit said:
british companies are only protecting their interests against getting sued.
consumers can't have it both ways.
they brought this upon themselves.
Click to expand...

Well they'll need cash flow, as I recall the EU Commission for Consumers has stated that airlines should foot the bill for their stranded passengers.
RyanAir has said it won't cough up a cent until forced to by a court.

Thing is though that it was out of the airlines' hands.
Airspace was closed - how can it be expected of them to foot the bill for passengers being stranded due to this?

At this rate it looks the British government will have to help out the airlines like they did with their banks :rolleyes:
 
What a nation of moaners.

Had a plane full of Brits fallen out of the sky the whining would have continued long after the engines had stopped.
 
Yikes
I don`t want to be a newsreader reporting on the Eyjafjallajokull volcano.

Icelanders must have had a cruel sense of humour when it came to naming things.
 
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Best to err on the side of safety than losing an aeroplane and get all wrapped up in inquests, researches etc as to why that plane was allowed to fly in the first place.
 
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