UK Airspace closure

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Plenty of EGs today, folks!

[5milesbaby]

Wonder if they have phoned up and cancelled the AAVA's

[Flaps ten please]

They tried, yes.

[mr.777]

they have just done an interview on BBC News 24 from Swanwick Air Traffic Control Centre....funny, it looked remarkably like CTC to me.

[fisbangwollop]

Also called us National Air Transport Service!!!

[fisbangwollop]

Volcano still emmiting ash...upper wind still from the NW...ah well I guess I may hang my headset up for a few more days!!!

[Vercingetorix]

Heard that for all trafic north of a line from Norwich to Brecon is a no go area

[Brown Dogg]

I see the guy had been through the standard NATS management course - starting every sentence with the word so. It does my bleeding head in.

[Scooby Don't]

Saw the interview on Sky News a couple of hours ago. Do they actually train NATS managers to avoid answering the ****ing question???

Yes, yes, it's wonderful to know that you have contingency plans (though I'm willing to bet there wasn't actually a contingency plan labelled "What to Do in the Event of a Massive Volcanic Ash Cloud, While Reducing Costs and Growing Stakeholder Value") and highly-trained staff. Hey, I used to be one of them! Staff, that is. Not a contingency plan.

Newsman asks simple question; please respond with simple answer TO THE QUESTION HE ASKED.

[jackieofalltrades]

Newsman asks simple question; please respond with simple answer TO THE QUESTION HE ASKED.

Yes, VERY frustrating to watch the spokesman avoid giving a direct answer. How difficult is it to say "we don't know yet" when asked if the airspace will be closed after 18:00, if that is in fact the case?

[DC10RealMan]

I wonder if before the day is out he/she will say "Lessons will be learnt" or "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families"

[ImnotanERIC]

I remember at the college talking about sigmets etc and thinking what a load of old s**t when they were talking about volcanic ash clouds. made me laugh today remembering that.

What happened to the AAVA's? Did they still come in and therefore get paid. If so, I love it. excellent.

[055166k]

Just checked with the CAA. NATS do not have authority to close the airspace as such, because they are merely an ATS provider. Maybe nobody else from the Government downwards had the necessary presentation skills. Who exactly did make the decision, and upon which legal framework was the decision based?

[QWERTY9]

I wonder if before the day is out he/she will say "Lessons will be learnt" or "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families"

David Cameron being interviewed at a school in Manchester earlier today stated "it's very worrying and out first thoughts are with the emergency services"

WTF !! He didn't have a F***ing clue !

[QWERTY9]

Just checked with the CAA. NATS do not have authority to close the airspace as such, because they are merely an ATS provider. Maybe nobody else from the Government downwards had the necessary presentation skills. Who exactly did make the decision, and upon which legal framework was the decision based?

But is it 'officially' closed ?

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Only the government can prohibit flying but NATS can refuse to issue clearances in controlled airspace, which is the situation now.. Other countries in Europe probably have similar rules.

[jackieofalltrades]

But is it 'officially' closed ?

The airspace isn't closed....just that nothing is permitted to fly into or out of it!!

[Gonzo]

ICAO convention (can't remember which one) states that no IFR clearance into an area of forecast volcanic ash may be given.

No airspace is closed.

[fisbangwollop]

Buisness for me as usual on the Scottish FIR sector....every man and his dog out this afternoon!!

[chevvron]

Only class A airspace is closed due to no IFR clearances being allowed; all other airspace classifications are still available to VFR traffic. Most small airfields in class G airspace are operating normally, contrary to what the BBC are reporting.