Volcanic Ash in Europe

[Spinach]

Have you seen this on the news? It's really something. It has crippled European travel. I am personally being affected by it at the moment, though I'm fortunate not to be sleeping in an airport on a cot or piece of cardboard.

Yahoo Link

Makes you wonder what will happen if the volcano continues to errupt as it did in 1821 (for about a year).

Any thoughts on what they'll do?

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

No idea. Irish airspace is closed for the foreseeable future. Its a good thing we had no travel plans.

I imagine we will have to adapt, perhaps having to use trains and ferries anywhere north of southern Europe. That is assuming the cloud travels no further south.

AccuWeather are saying wind patterns might shift Thursday.

Some are calling this an overreaction, but all it would take is one plane in the wrong place sucking in volcanic ash wrecking the engines. 300 people dead on 'taking a chance?'

 

[Spinach]

Unfortunately for me, I do have travel plans. However, I'd rather play it safe. I find it all very interesting to read about, but when I think about my life in limbo, I get a little frustrated.

But I'm not stranded and I'm thankful for that. I feel so badly for those who are stranded.

For international travel, do you think they'll use boats?

 

[annsni]

It's on the news all over here because of so many who are stuck in airports. It's incredible! I'd think that they could get people to clear airports near their home then get them home some other way but apparently not??

 

[billwald]

If it continues the over water tourist industry might shift to the west coast and bail out California.

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

A few airlines have sent up test flights that are coming back with no damage so things might change.

But, can you imagine being the guy to give the go ahead and then one plane crashes because of the ash?

Really a hard decision to make.

 

[Spinach]

I agree, C4K.

Some countries are opening the air space more and more, but the ones closer to the plume are being understandably cautious.

 

[abcgrad94]

I'm surprised that churches are not helping out those stranded at the airports. What a wonderful opportunity for ministry! A church could set up cots and feed people a meal or two while they are waiting. I read a news report that said some motels are drastically raising rates just to take advantage of people.

 

[Spinach]

All over Europe people are being taken advantage of----as in, car rentals for 1,500-2,500 euros. It's nuts!

Flights are slowly beginning to resume, but only in certain areas. Unfortunately, Heathrow is still down. That's going to take some amount of doin' to get the stranded to their destinations from Heathrow. I'm sure they're working on it...

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

New eruption this morning. Irish air space still closed.

For the most part the evangelical churches in Europe don't have the facilities that Americans are used to. Many of us meet in hired facilities and converted store fronts. Those who have their own properties count themselves fortunate to have a church hall. We are excited because the community centre we rent on Sunday is letting us put up a wall to create a storage area . A few churches may have room to set up cots and feed people, but they are few and far between.

Not everyone in the world has the benefits of church campuses.

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

Irish hotels are offering people who have evidence of being stranded high quality rooms at €30 a night including free laundry, free Irish breakfast, and free use of spa facilities!

 

[Matt Black]

We've got schools closed here because teachers and pupils can't get home after their Easter vacations. Personally I have a couple of clients stuck in Spain who can't get back to finish their business with me. Lots of profiteering going on by ferry companies, hotels and rail companies IMO.

On a lighter note, I think I've figured out the cause: Iceland is virtually bankrupt and now it's going up in smoke. I smell an insurance scam...

 

[abcgrad94]

Irish hotels are offering people who have evidence of being stranded high quality rooms at €30 a night including free laundry, free Irish breakfast, and free use of spa facilities!

Glad to hear someone is taking the high road in this situation! Thanks for clarifying about churches, C4K. I had no idea most churches had to meet in rented facilities in Europe.

 

[Matt Black]

Not quite. Depends what you mean by 'Europe'; on the continent, the concept of property ownership generally is not so highly-rated as it is in the US or UK - most people rent their homes, and most evangelical (as opposed to Evangelical ie: Lutheran and Catholic) churches are no different. In the UK, things are slightly different: most mainline denominations own their own premises, the exceptions being some of the newer charismatic churches who tend to hire out rooms for their Sunday meetings eg: in schools, but even the charismatics, once they get to a certain size and wealth of congregation, usually end up buying their own premises.

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

Not quite. Depends what you mean by 'Europe'; on the continent, the concept of property ownership generally is not so highly-rated as it is in the US or UK - most people rent their homes, and most evangelical (as opposed to Evangelical ie: Lutheran and Catholic) churches are no different. In the UK, things are slightly different: most mainline denominations own their own premises, the exceptions being some of the newer charismatic churches who tend to hire out rooms for their Sunday meetings eg: in schools, but even the charismatics, once they get to a certain size and wealth of congregation, usually end up buying their own premises.

Thanks Matt, accurate statement as far as the UK is concerned. But do many of them have the megacampuses so popular in the US?

 

[Mexdeaf]

Glad to hear someone is taking the high road in this situation! Thanks for clarifying about churches, C4K. I had no idea most churches had to meet in rented facilities in Europe.

Not only in Europe but I would wager that in the majority of the world (except the USA, of course) rental is the usual course.

 

[Matt Black]

Heading that way, Roger, in some cases - many charismatic House Churches here (we use the ecclesiological term 'Restorationist', which has a different meaning here than in the US, to describe them) are self-consciously importing the sort of Willow Creek and Saddleback 'mega-church' phenomenon from the US. Our former Baptist church is seeking to do that but doesn't have the finances right now due to the recession. A more prosperous example, local to me, from the Restorationist NFI stable, is here