Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Flight ban lifted – and now the recriminations begin.

I am reading this:

British Airways chief executive, Willie Walsh, last night accused the government and the UK air safety watchdog of imposing unnecessary hardship on hundreds of thousands of passengers after a six-day flight ban was dramatically lifted amid pressure from the aviation industry.

The opening of all UK airports came after aircraft and engine manufacturers changed their advice on commercial jets' ability to withstand contamination from volcanic ash clouds that have grounded carriers across Europe and cost airlines $1.2bn (£780m) following the eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano.

The first BA flights landed at Heathrow shortly before 10pm as Walsh said he believed the ban had been an over-the-top response. "I personally believe we could have [used British airspace earlier]. I don't believe it was necessary to impose a blanket ban on UK airspace," he said.

Whilst, outside my window, silence reigns.

Osterley is on the Heathrow flight path. When planes are landing there, I know about it. I can hear them.

Despite all the headlines, there is still nothing happening at Heathrow. Not a single plane has gone over my head as I am writing this.

The papers are saying that Heathrow is open, but it's not. The silence here remains as eerie as it has been for the last six days.

Click here for full article.

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