Balloons in Bangkok
 

This would be funny, if it didn't have the potential to be at the very least, inconvenient.

A fairly substantial group (32 communities) are planning a day of disruption at Suvarnabhumi this coming Friday, 7th Sept. The threat is to release a large number of balloons in the flight path. The beef concerns unaddressed grievances over noise pollution.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/03Sep2007_news16.php

Would balloons really cause any disruption though?

I had a very strange experience last week. Finals into 36R at Amsterdam and just as we popped out of the clouds we flew through thousands of red and white helium 'party' balloons with little messages hanging on them. It is was quite surreal - like some trippy cartoon or something.

Anyway - I don't think it was of much concern. Or should it have been?

I would worry more about what's hanging from the baloons

The Jap farmers and students objecting to Narita Airport used to do things like this It made Narita a bit like the Berlin Wall. Over the years that nonsense died down a bit. All seemed rather splendid fun- we had warnings that balloons may be released in front of us on the approach. I think it's all over now and it's just another airport. I have no doubt that if another runway is built at LHR (like it's not needed?), we will have all these Nimbys enjoying themselves rioting and firing off balloons and rockets at the aeroplanes and knocking coppers' hats off, except for Benefits Day when they will all decamp to buy their alcohol and drugs. All part of life's rich tapestry.

What was the question again?

Was once bombing along over Oxfordshire when one of the cops spotted something in the sky ahead. Slowed down and came to a hover near a bunch of yellow balloons with a teddy hanging from them. Poor kid must have been a bit :{ when their teddy flew away!

Once on a very convective day, I saw a broadsheet newspaper at 5000' over Cheltenham!

They do produce some sizeable balloons out there with dinky little baskets underneath with a candle in. I don't suppose one of them ingested would do a lot of good. Especially if it had part of someones genitalia in !