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Old 24th March 2009 | 22:34
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GlueBall
 
Joined: Jun 2001
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Flights continue as usual with planned weather diversions. The ash clouds are tracked by meteorologists just as are pacific typhoons or tropical storms which are circumnavigated.

On a northerly trans pacific flight, such as YVR-HKG, a preplanned, overall reroute further south from the Alaskan peninsula, or Aleutian chain, if necessary, would be insignificant. For 4-engined, non ETOPS airplanes, SFO or LAX-HKG routes are far south and wouldn't be affected by Alaska weather. Moreover, prevailing winds generally cause the ash clouds to drift east, and not south unto pacific routes.
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