who has got family stranded by the volcanic ash?

[MrsShu]

me ! easy jet have cancelled return flight

at Mmelint. I expect that google maps has been working overtime!!

Calais Rescue underway

images of f18 engine that accidentally flew through at the beginning of this.

very cool MmeLindt

Awww at Myboot's kids.
That is so lovely - imagine the bond they're going to have with this lovely sounding couple.

thanks for that link Skihorse. I think we can get a train on Tuesday which goes via germany (the ticket man has told us that the French trains are still on strike - is that correct?).

Our first available flight is a week on Monday at the earliest.

The thing we are worried about is that we just can't afford to shell out £1000 to get home if we aren't going to get reimbursed. It is mad that our insurance can exclude this eventuality. We can't afford to spend hundreds on a hotel room to wait for the next flight. Presumably others are in the same situation - what is everyone doing - claiming under that EU regulation? Claiming under insurance? It is just too confusing. [rant over]

Hi MABS! Hope you get home soon. Like us, i suppose there are worst places to be stranded!

Change of plan. He is going to go from Miami to Chicogo then to Tokyo. He is then going to try to get to Spain from there.

Pollyanna
No idea about the insurance situation but if you do go via Germany be warned that the situation there on the trains is quite manic. Make sure you have enough food and water bought before you get on the train to do you. Might be ok by Tuesday and this is overreacting but you really don't want to get stuck on a train with no food and water for your family.

If your insurance won't pay out you are welcome to stay a couple of days here, even doing a day or two with us and a couple of days with MM?

Then you could get the flight on Monday.

Can you not go on your own to cornwall and let dh follw on later if and when he gets back?

thanks Mme L - we may take you up on your (and MMs) offers. Dh is very stressed about work now though (workaholic at the best of times, but post-holidays is always a even more stressed) and is all for just setting off tomorrow morning and seeing how far we get

Thanks for info about german trains too - will bear that in mind. Our plane hasn't been cancelled yet - we are meant to be flying tomorrow evenging and airspace is only officially closed until 2pm so far. Not holding out much hope though...

Good luck to PPP's DH and to Pollyanna and family - to everyone trying to get somewhere. It's so stressful.

MmeLindt - thanks for the tip off on trains in Germany, how about in Switzerland, is it the same? DP hoping to travel from Italy to Zurich tomorrow by train - he has places booked but should I be warning him to get food/water ahead of time?

In general, are the trains still insanely busy in Switzerland? I know after Zurich, he needs to get to Brussels so there's still potential for something to go wrong.

Oh, good grief! Trust the DM to turn it into a 'nanny state' issue. "but part of the rationale that is keeping us grounded is an economic equation rather than simple personal safety.

To fly beneath the cloud until clear of it would mean burning more fuel. But not flying at all is surely burning money more swiftly."

Well then why would anyone make that decision on financial grounds? And i'm glad the DM believes that there are thousands of stranded people who would take the risk but sonce the flightpath of H'row is over the most densley populated area of the country (thanks to prevailing winds and a bad planning decision when it was located there) I guess the 15 million peope who live on London may have a view about planes crashing down on their heads. It isn't kust risk to the DM reading traveller!

But I have huge sympathy with those enduring separation and hardship because of this.

Not sure, Norkily. Will have a look at the local press.

The DM are idiots, so we can safely ignore them I feel

Thanks MmeLindt

PPP should your Dh neede a rest en route we are in Wales, just off the m way as you enter the country; feel free to CAT me, meal / bed or whatever

Am peachy btw- not a random netter trying to grab your DH LOL

According to the Zuricher Zeitung, the Swiss trains have been doubled and because they have a strict booking system that you only get a ticket when you book a seat, there is no overcrowding in the trains.

The TGV to Paris is also doubled up, so twice the amount of spaces as normal. Just checked their website here. First trains available on Tuesday.

Not quite so good with the German trains here. They do not have the same rules as the Swiss and have said that travellers today must reckon with having to stand for the duration of the journey if there are no seats free.

If you can book a train ticket, make sure you pay the extra for a seat reservation.

My dh has been stranded in Frankfurt airport since thursday. Lufthansa have only just (half an hour ago) put on a coach to take all the brits to London Heathrow. I would guess that some of the other airlines will be doing the same as it has to be cheaper than putting up all those people in hotels. Also, for those of you stranded in Europe, look on the Gumtree rideshare boards for London and the city you are in....there are lots of people driving with extra space in their cars.

Thank you so much MmeLindt - hurrah for the Swiss Will forward that info to him. I know he's booked as far as Zurich but then how he's planning to move from there to Brussels I'm not sure but think it might be through Germany

Anyone knows how to get a dad and his two kids out of the north of Norway?

Crash one of those fjord cruise ships Quint?

Anyone's loved ones managed to get back? DH stuck in Romania still. No idea when back, maybe Wednesday.

Paulaplumpbottom - can't your DH fly from Miami to San Juan or DR? They will certainly have flights to Spain? Apologies if he's already tried this.....