Now that the worst seems to be over re: Vacationers verses the Volcano, I have collected a few reports on what happened. I would imagine everyone has read/heard  about Iceland’s erupting Eyjafjallajokull volcano. No matter how you say it, it was a disaster for many vacationers and business travellers.

I have been reading:

• Glass build-up found in NATO F-16 engine: U.S. official
  BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Glass build-up from Iceland’s volcanic eruption has been found in an engine of a NATO F-16 fighter plane, a U.S. official said on Monday, underlining the dangers to aircraft of flying through the ash cloud.
  The official did not say which nation’s aircraft had been affected, where it happened or when, but it was the second air force to report problems from the ash cloud — Finland, not a NATO member, reported similar problems on Friday. Read full report here
• Aircraft enginemakers, regulators study ash impact
  WASHINGTON (Reuters) – General Electric Co (GE.N) and other aircraft engine makers and regulators are studying the possibility of formulating limits for safely operating jet engines in volcanic ash, industry and regulatory officials said on Monday. Read full report here
• Beyond airlines – winners and losers with volcanic ash
  At this point, even armchair travelers are familiar with Europe’s volcanic ash saga and the fact that the cloud has basically grounded all flights in the European airspace. News stories on the situation also talk about how much money — perhaps $200 million dollars a day — airlines are losing. Read full report here
• E.U. works on Europe-wide volcanic ash policy, until now, decisions were country-by-country
  Until today, the European decisions forced because of the volcanic ash cloud that has put an end to air traffic over the continent have been on a country-by-country basis. Now that the ash has closed most of Europe’s airspace, the E.U. is debating how to coordinate an emergency European-wide response.
  Read full report here
• European flights remain grounded; airlines question ‘proportionality’ of response
  Volcanic ash from last week’s eruption in Iceland continues to cause dramatic disruption to air traffic in Europe, with many airlines cancelling services for a fifth consecutive day Monday owing to airspace closures but questioning whether EU governments and ATC providers are overreacting.
  Read full report here
• European officials to ease ash-related flight restrictions
  Under growing pressure from industry leaders and stranded travelers, European transportation ministers decided Monday to open more of the continent’s airspace to commercial air traffic despite concern over a lingering cloud of ash from a volcano in Iceland. Read full report here
• Flight ban lifted – and now the recriminations begin
  • BA chief attacks government and air safety watchdog
  • Manufacturers change advice on flying in ash clouds
  • Days more of delays to come but end to chaos in sight
  Read full report here
• Week Without Revenue Cost Airines $1.7 Billion
  IATA The International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates that the Icelandic volcano crisis has cost airlines more than $1.7 billion in lost revenue through Tuesday April 20th – six days after the initial eruption. For a three-day period (17-19 April), when disruptions were greatest, lost revenues reached $400 million per day. Read full report here
• Ash Cloud Reaches North American Coast
  “Up to this point there is no indication that the airspace will be affected (by the ash cloud),” — Randy Mahon, — St John’s airport, Newfoundland.
  The ash cloud from Iceland’s volcanic eruption brushed up against Canada’s Eastern seaboard on Monday, but airlines said domestic flight cancellations were mostly because of fog. Read full report here
• Heathrow Airport finally reopens
  Plans to unclog the skies over Europe by this weekend are getting a boost as London’s Heathrow Airport finally reopens, though the airline industry is complaining bitterly that European Union authorities responded much too slowly to the crisis over volcanic ash. Read full report here
• Volcanic Situation – Behind The Scenes Of A Global Travel Meltdown
  Air Canada V.P. Sales Claude Morin sums up the situation in one succinct line: “Just when we thought we’d seen it all.”
  A volcanic eruption in Iceland has spawned a travel crisis the likes of which the world has never experienced. Airline emergency task forces, flight operations, airport management and governments have been in a group huddle for the last week without much effect. Mother Nature is in charge and the rest of us have to wait. Read full report here
• Fuming airlines demand compensation
  Industry blames European authorities for overreacting to ash threat, costing airlines more than $1-billion; Officials begin to open airspace, but global backlog could take weeks to clear Read full report here
• First leg of Celebrity launch replaced by mercy mission
  The first leg of Celebrity Eclipse’s launch celebrations has been cancelled to allow the ship to pick up 2,000 Brits stranded in Spain.
  Lavish celebrations aboard Celebrity Cruises’ newest vessel had been due to begin on Thursday April 22 following the ship’s arrival in Southampton at 9am today, Tuesday. Read full report here
• Volcano
  Wiki general information on volcanoes. Read full entry here
• Iceland Volcanoes
  More background details on the Iceland situation. Read full entry here

I hope this list will be helpful. It’s probably more than you really wanted to know, but…

Related articles by Zemanta

• Airlines lose $1.7 billion, Germany opens airspace (ctv.ca)
• Iceland volcano: Q&A (telegraph.co.uk)
• More Images of Volcanic Ash Plume Captured by NASA Satellites as Flights Resume in European Airspace (laist.com)
• ‘Black Swan’ Volcano Offers Us Lessons: Matthew Lynn (Update1) (businessweek.com)

Image via Wikipedia

Nova Scotia-based online travel agency “Go Travel South” announced Wednesday afternoon that it is “ceasing all of its operations due to economic circumstances.”

The company founded in Ottawa in 2000 by Hugh Boyle as Go Travel Direct, changed its name to Go Travel South in 2008 and moved its operations to Halifax. Boyle also was connected to Zoom Airlines which declared bankruptcy in 2008.

• Zoom stated it was “desperately sorry” for the inconvenience to customers who were stranded in 2008.
• Go Travel claimed it was “extremely sorry” to have to cancel all the future trips.

Go Travel South sold direct flights to warm destinations including the Dominican Republic and Mexico. The charter company flies out of Ottawa using Flair Air Ltd. Flair Airlines said it would fulfill its obligations and fly back those already away on vacation. Over 2,000 Canadians in the Ottawa area are having their paid vacations shortened or cancelled without much notice. Go Travel South was advertising specials on its website right up to the closure.

To get refunds, customers are urged to contact their credit card providers. The monies will be refunded, but it could take 45 to 90 days or more to credit accounts. If you paid by cheque you are on your own.

A spokesman with the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) said because the company is based in Nova Scotia, it isn’t registered with TICO, which offers consumer protection through a compensation fund. TICO is advising travellers in this province to make sure they travel with a TICO-registered travel company.

Editor’s Comment:
These all too common stories of deception and outright fraud cause plenty of tears and anxiety for the helpless customers who can do little about their plight. Vacationers are not much different from others in situations where goods and services are not provided as paid for. Home renovators, car repair people, car salesmen, investment brokers, elected politicians and in deed anything connected to politics are but a few of the well known liars in our society. We don’t need safety nets for Canadians, we need true and honest disclosure in all interactions. More truth and less smoke and mirrors protecting the unlawful persons and practices are needed. Don’t hold your breath waiting for our leaders in government or business to respond openly and honestly.

Sources:

• 680NEWS
• CFRA NEWS TALK RADIO
• CBC
• CTV Ottawa
• Toronto Sun

Gregory Luciani Assists Olympians Arriving in Vanouver

Press Release: For Release February 12, 2010

(Brantford, February 12, 2010)  OLYMPIANS ARRIVING FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE TO participate in the Vancouver Olympic Games receive their first welcome to the Olympic Village from the President & CEO of Travelonly.

Gregory Luciani was chosen to be one of the VANOC (Vancouver Olympic Committee) Athletic Resident Services Ambassadors, whose task is to meet and greet and familiarize the athletes with their new surroundings and to make them feel at home in the Olympic Village.

“This is an experience of a lifetime” explained the 32-year old Luciani, who assumed the role of CEO of Travelonly at the company’s 35th Anniversary celebrations in Las Vegas, Nevada last November. “Having the opportunity to work with such a great organization (VANOC) and to be such an important part of the athletes’ preparation prior to their event is truly a remarkable experience.”

Helping to introduce travellers to new experiences is nothing new for the Travelonly President, who has been in and around the travel industry all of his life. However, in his unique duties with VANOC, Luciani gains an “upfront and personal” relationship with the world’s Olympians that most Canadians would envy. “This is a dream come true and one I will never forget,” Luciani said.

Travelonly is Canada’s Premier National Travel Host Agency, 100% Canadian-owned, with over 35 years of experience in the travel industry.  The company boasts a team of over 500 Independent Travel Professionals across Canada, specializing in special interest and group travel.

Edmonton, Alberta-based Newwest Special Projects Limited Partnership cited poor sales as the reason for the cancellation of the 28-day cruise charter on the Norwegian Star. About 1,600 people will have to find other accommodations for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Norwegian Cruise Line said it was notified of the cancellation on Feb. 2.
Slower-than-expected sales and higher than anticipated expenses were the reasons given by Newwest.

Newwest originally charged $700 per night for the accommodations, including all meals, but cut prices to as low as $275 per night to try and fill the ship. Its costs rose to between 10 and 20 million dollars.

There are many vacancies in Vancouver but they are not convenient to the downtown areas and are quite expensive due to the Olympic scalping practices.

This would be a good reason for making sure travel expenses are insured properly and fully.

More details at:

• travelweekly
• Vancouver Sun
• Calgary Herald
• Toronto Sun

A year ago, February 12, 2009, 50 people died in the Colgan air crash as their plane was approaching Buffalo airport. The NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) has released its findings on the tragedy.

The probable cause was the captain’s inappropriate response, characterized as “startle and confusion,” after the stick shaker was activated. The captain pulled back when he should have pushed forward on the controls, the board said, causing an accelerated stall.

Contributing factors included:

• the crew’s failure to monitor airspeed
• failure to recognize the position of the low-speed cue on their flight displays
• fatigue was present that doesn’t mean it was a factor in their performance.

Pilots are highly trained to handle all situations they may encounter, however flight schools routinely retest failures until they pass. The Colgan crash captain had failed numerous times before passing test requirements. American armed forces’ pilots are washed out of training if they aren’t able to pass requirements. Civilian schools are pressured by the high demand for trained pilots into giving some candidates one too many chances.

That being said, air travel is still by far the safest form of public transportation per passenger kilometre travelled.
That being said, safety can always be improved and should never be compromised.

Sources:

• AVweb
• NTSB
• Animation