Patentguy

What about flying from Dublin to US, and then back from the West Coast - was considering this as a way to Australia (but gave up as I was worried about getting back). aa.com showed some possibilities.

Had a call from Qantas this morning to say my flight (QF32 LHR-SIN) was cancelled (which I saw on the web). However, the good thing is that they have refunded separately booked domestic flights in Oz (which were red e-deals) - had the confirmation e-mails already.

OT: Hilton Melbourne have also agreed to refund a non-refundable booking.

Aus_Mal

Oh hit! If things last that long, then there will be serious issues.

The only advice I can give, is to try and watch the same reports you are posting, and perhaps get to the locations where things are opening up. Then somehow get onto a flight *somewhere* outside of Uk/EU and then get to SYD etc from there.

LTN Phobia

ChrisG - do you already have a visa for Russia? If not, forget the Moscow option unless you want to wait for a while for a visa.

ANstar

Good luck trying to get on the Eurostar....

I would be trying for car hire then catching a ferry from one of the many UK ports to France, Netherlands etc

Then probably suggest driving somwhere where airspace is open and you can get a seat on a flight. Teh cloud seems to be heading south so will be affecting Italy, Turkey and Spain shortly byt he looks of it.

LTN Phobia

Just a thought - Paris - Barcelona - Madrid by train (I think Madrid is expected to stay open for a bit at least) - fly to Athens from Madrid - Dubai - Sydney

It might be quicker than catching a ferry.
If BCN is open (which I *think* it is but may well be closing soon) then you can fly BCN-ATH.

If necessary due to full Eurostar, catch a ferry to Calais and drive/catch a train.

I'm trying to do what you're trying to do backwards (I'll be stuck in Australia).

ANstar

BCN is closed.

A ferry would definately be faster as the news reoprted Eurostar is booked out until Tuesday. Ferries still have availability.

LTN Phobia

QF's rebooking etc dates have now been extended to 22 Apr.

http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airl...omo:ukairspace

ChrisG

Here is one scenario that seems to be working out and is showing availability (assuming Madrid Airport remains open):

19th April

London 1502 - Paris 1817 - Eurostar
Paris 1947 - Madrid 1910+1 - TrainHotel

via www.raileurope.co.uk

21st April

IB6275 / IB7074 Madrid (1155) - Chicago (1455) - Los Angeles (1855)

via www.iberia.com

21st April
QF12 Los Angeles 2230 - Sydney (0605+2)

via www.qantas.com

Something that may be useful for people contemplating planning their own itinerary here is a list of countries affected as of 1235 GMT on Saturday:

AUSTRIA - Airspace closed until at least Saturday 1800 GMT.

BELGIUM - Airspace closed until at least Saturday 1800 GMT, main airline, Brussels Airlines, cancels all flights until Monday.

BELARUS - Airspace closed on Saturday for flights operating between 6,000 metres and 11,000 metres. Some routes east and south open.

BOSNIA - Just of half of upper airspace open.

BRITAIN - Airspace closed until at least 2400 GMT Saturday, British Airways cancels all short-haul flights on Sunday.

DENMARK - Airspace closed until at least 2400 GMT Saturday.

ESTONIA - Airspace closed until at least 2400 GMT Saturday.

FINLAND - Airspace closed until at least 1200 GMT Sunday.

FRANCE - Airports north of a line between Nantes and Lyon closed, including Paris. A total of 26 airports currently shut, with Bordeaux and Grenoble to close by 1400 GMT Saturday.

GERMANY - German airspace shut until at least 2400 GMT Saturday.

GREECE - Flights to northern Europe cancelled.

HUNGARY - Airspace closed until at least 1700 GMT Saturday.

IRELAND - Airspace closed until at least 1700 GMT Saturday.

ITALY - Northern airspace closed until at least 1800 GMT Saturday.

LATVIA - Airspace closed Saturday.

LUXEMBOURG - Airspace closed until at least 1900 GMT Sunday.

MONTENEGRO - Airspace closed as of 1400 GMT Saturday.

NETHERLANDS - Airspace closed until at least 1800 GMT Saturday. Dutch airline KLM, part of Franco-Dutch Air France-KLM, has cancelled all flights in and out of Schiphol Amsterdam Airport for Saturday. Low cost airline Transavia, part of Air France-KLM group, has also cancelled all Saturday flights

POLAND - Airspace closed since Friday, partial reopening possible on Sunday.

PORTUGAL- Airports operating for flights to and from everywhere other than northern Europe.

ROMANIA - Northern airspace closed from 0000 GMT Saturday, to close all airspace from 1500 GMT Saturday.

RUSSIA - All airports open.

SLOVAKIA- Airspace closed as of 1300 GMT on Friday.

SPAIN - Madrid airport open, but carrier Iberia cancels all its European flights except those to or from Portugal, southern Italy, Greece and Istanbul in Turkey.

SWEDEN - Airspace closed on Saturday.

SWITZERLAND - Airspace closed until at least 1800 GMT Saturday, except for aircraft able to fly at altitudes of 36,000 feet (11,000 metres) or higher.

UKRAINE - Kiev airport closed to flights until at least 1200 GMT Saturday. Airports in Lvov, Odessa, Donestsk, Simferopol and Dnepropetrovsk also closed for an unspecified period.

lokijuh

If one can get to Madrid (assuming that remains open) there are options. Madrid - Morocco and take Emirates from Casablanca. Istanbul?

Or head south to EZE or SCL from MAD then pick up QF, AR or LA from there? Or JNB from MAD and then QF, VA or SA. If Madrid closes then cross country to Istanbul or Athens, or ferry across to Morocco?

ChrisG

Good idea - I'm currently looking at getting out of London on a train to Madrid via Paris. Then Iberia to Athens connecting with Emirates to Sydney via Dubai...

LTN Phobia

I have just been advised, whether correctly or incorrectly, that I only have 21 day window during which to fly on a replacement flight for a cancelled flight. Based on what QF website says, it doesn't seem to be correct but this is the information that I have been given by a QF phone rep.

Even if your flight is cancelled, if you seek refunds for the unused portion of your ticket, and you have already commenced travel, QF will recalculate the used fare as one way and only give you what is left after deducting the one-way fare from the one you have paid for your return. It will not be worked out on the basis of the 'fare paid per sector'.

I have also been advised that QF is only permitting people to attempt travelling to LHR if they have accommodation arranged at SIN, due to accommodation shortage in SIN. I have been advised that this question will be asked at check-in. Should people say that they have accommodation in SIN to travel to SIN to wait for connecting flight to LHR to open up and they are subsequently unable to find accommodation, QF will charge people to bring them back to the port of origin in Australia (which is fair enough as people are being pre-warned).

If you choose to re-route your flight to somewhere within QF network but not the originally ticketed destination in an attempt to get home etc, the ticket will be treated as two one ways and will be far, far more than what it costs to book fares separately and just abandoning the return sector on QF in most cases (the exception being a flexible fare, I suppose).

Do not bother seeking help for accommodation etc if stranded outside the EU (I am not sure how QF is treating people stranded in the EU because there are EU reg issues for EU-originating flight). It will not be provided, arranged or refunded. I am mentioning this to save some people holding on the phone to QF to ask this question.

Please verify the info provided in this post with the phone operator as some seemed to be really struggling to come to grips with the policy and some of the information may not even be correct, but most of it has been verified by at least two QF staff so it is most likely to be correct.

moa999

Just had my Mon 19/4 QF1 flight renamed QF8001. All seat preferences removed, and QF Plat desks says seating has been closed. Does appear to be going direct though.

OLCI may or may not work. Apparently BA has locked OLCI - all passengers must check-in at airport

og

The in-laws flew SYD-HKG yesterday 17th. Originally scheduled for HKG-LHR tomorrow 19th. They have just phoned us to say that QF advised they are re-booked on 8 May HKG-LHR.

They didn't comment on whether their hotel was paid or not.

I advised them to ask about rebooking on CX or BA when things start up again.

LTN Phobia

Flights to Europe up to 20 Apr appear to be cancelled:

http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airl...omo:ukairspace

But the Plat phone line doesn't know at the moment. So the website and the CS agents have different information.

I have just got off the phone to the Plat line. I tried to have my booking dealt with but they are only dealing with today and tomorrow's flights as 'cancelled' - the agent advised that despite the website stating that certain flights on 20 April are cancelled, they are not allowed to treat those flights on 20 April as cancelled.
Baffling.

og

Update: In-laws get a free ticket back to Oz in a couple of days time and the full value of their original ticket is held as credit for resuming their trip at a later stage. QF would agree to paying one (only) extra hotel night in HKG.

Disappointing, but nicely handled in a stressful time. Full credit to QF booking centre staff for allowing a WP (me) to ask and arrange on behalf of the in-laws and for their calm attitude when - no doubt- everyone is very stressed.