Iceland Volcano Disrupts Air Travel Worldwide
The volcanic eruption in Iceland sent huge amount of ash up into the skies of Europe. The ashes went upto 30,000 feet in the sky. The skies of even southern part of Europe were hazy and full of volcanic ash. The European governments ordered the airlines to cancel all flights till it was safe to fly again. The air travel business came to a screaching halt. People were stranded, away from their homes on airports, without knowing when the airlines will resume operations. Lot of domestic travelers opted for making a long distance drive instead of waiting for the airlines to become operational. AndIThoughT© …….. that how vulnerable we are to the events of nature.
People exposed to volcanic ash may experience skin irritation and various eye, nose, and throat symptoms. Unnecessary exposure to ash should be avoided. An effective face mask should be used when outside to reduce inhalation of  ash particles.  The impact of the falling ash particles inhaled by the population is yet to be seen. Europeans, in the immediate future, may experience a rise in respiratory symptoms.
The volcanic 
ash is also known to create problems for the jetliners. There have been few instances in the past where the airliner experienced the volcanic ash in its flight path. In June, 1982 a BA flight experienced a failure of all four engines while unknowingly going thru the ashes spewed by Mount Galunggung south-east of Jakarta, Indonesia. The airborne ash not only reduces the visibility, it damages the jet engines.
Though there was no mishap in bringing all the air traffic to land safely, the process was reported to be less than optimum. European Union is calling for an expedited integration and reforms of the air traffic control systems. An integrated control system for “Single European Sky” project was supposed to have begun in 2012.
Now that things are coming back to normal the airline industry has its work cut out for it. They will be inspecting and repairing the jet engines exposed to the ash. Lot of airlines have already been experiencing a difficult time. The revenue loss due to this event will be a significant factor in determining the profitability of some of these airlines. The estimated loss to the airline industry is in excess of $2B.
AndIWondeR© …….. if one can ever be prepared enough for an event like this.
