cabby Posted August 26, 2014 Report Share Posted August 26, 2014 We are due to travel to NYC on the 03/09 for 4 days for my wife’s 40th so getting a little worried about the Icelandic volcano situation. Biggest worry is getting there and our return being delayed as our two young kids are being looked after by relatives. I called BA yesterday and asked what our situation would be if flights were delayed. Apart from confirm they would get us home when flights resume (jeez – thanks BA) – they could not comment on what they could/would cover re: accommodation claiming "they have no policy in place". BA’s advice was to speak with our insurer (who has emailed to tell us our policy does not cover delay due to ash cloud/volcano). I called John Lewis who are one of several insurers that cover such disruption (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/insurance/travel/11047965/Just-one-in-four-insurers-covers-volcanic-ash-as-standard.html) . They confirmed that, even with their highest cover, our maximum claim would be £600 p/p. Doesn't seem great given a colleague was ‘stranded’ in South Africa during the last eruption for 2-3 weeks! I presume BA’s only obligation will be to get us home but thought I might post this on the off-chance that someone knows differently or has any suggestions as to what we might do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calm Chris Posted August 26, 2014 Report Share Posted August 26, 2014 Act of god, and attempting to predict an event that may or may not happen. Avoid the stress and get on with assumption that everything will be ok. Worry about it if it happens, and maybe set some plans for the kids should you be stranded. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_Bangle Posted August 26, 2014 Report Share Posted August 26, 2014 Exactly as CC says, if you spend your life worrying you'll never leave the house, concentrate on having great holiday Leaving aside the childcare issue, £1200 is enough to survive an extra week in NYC. As a backup plan you could always book an airport Holiday Inn/Days Inn/Howard Johnson room at £100 p/n with free cancellation, as should the worse happen you'll have somewhere to sleep 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarMad Posted August 26, 2014 Report Share Posted August 26, 2014 Plus the alert has dropped down to Amber (hardly reported anywhere) and they don't believe there was a sub eruption as was the case last time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_Bangle Posted August 26, 2014 Report Share Posted August 26, 2014 (edited) Plus the alert has dropped down to Amber (hardly reported anywhere) and they don't believe there was a sub eruption as was the case last time. Amber doesn't make a massive difference considering it's on a 5-level scale. Amber (actually orange) is level 4 out of 5. Early this morning they had the largest earthquake in the current swam, a magnitude of 5.7 Around 8000 quakes have hit the area around Bardarbunga and Dyngjujökull since Aug. 16th and activity is increasing. Although all this activity in the highlands is moving north of the glacier. Eruption there would probably have minimal effect on aviation, so cabby stop worring Edited August 26, 2014 by Andy_Bangle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cabby Posted August 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2014 More wanting to be prepared - I blame being a Boy Scout as a kid! Sainsbury travel insurance booked with much better cover than JL. Funny enough the Sainsbury insurance advisor mentioned that all EU carriers have a duty of care etc. and should flights be cancelled due to an eruption then BA should do things to ensure customers have accommodation etc. Cheers folks + heres hoping I don't have to test any of the above!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted August 27, 2014 Report Share Posted August 27, 2014 (edited) I'm away currently and we're flying back the day before the kids resume school. Not ideal but it was squeezed in. I'll be pi55ed if we end up stuck for a couple of days as I consider it important for the kids to be there for the start if there new classes and paid loads more that I could have done if they were to miss next Thursday and Friday. Work wise - well they'll just have to wait although I could get rid of the avalanche of emails that a no doubt building up. Ho hum - I guess there's worst places/times to be stuck than when on hols Edited August 27, 2014 by Scotty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarMad Posted August 27, 2014 Report Share Posted August 27, 2014 Apparently they are less concerned about an eruption like the one that occurred last time, more an issue for the island itself. It appears the Magma? is now flowing to a different location underground and the last time it happened like this a long time ago it was massive disruption to the island itself and a complete evacuation of a part of the island might be required. Well according to an expert in Cambridge as it appears they installed most of the seismic sensors that are gathering data. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_Bangle Posted August 29, 2014 Report Share Posted August 29, 2014 (edited) Iceland Met Office reports "A fissure eruption has started north of Dynjujökull" Aviation code red. Danger area set up to FL180. No ash yet. Askja's colour code has been raised as well I note. My flights within the next two weeks are all heading a long way south, so I should be safe, unless the wind change direction Edited August 29, 2014 by Andy_Bangle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_Bangle Posted August 29, 2014 Report Share Posted August 29, 2014 Bárðarbunga update: Icelandic Met Office has reduced the aviation alert status to orange. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_Bangle Posted August 29, 2014 Report Share Posted August 29, 2014 I'd be more concerned about the UK terror threat being raised from substantial to severe meaning attack "highly likely" but no intelligence suggests one is imminent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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