To all those that think this is an over reaction:
When you find out just how much ash can be ingested safely into a jet engine, say in ppm, and then find out what concentration of ash is in the atmosphere above us. Then you can come back here with the figures and tell us all it was an over reaction.
But wait, engine manufacturers don't run tests like that on their engines so we have no idea how much is safe. Maybe we should pack a plane full of you send it up and let you lot be the first to find out.