End of the calm now in the clear blue skies?

On a bright sunny day, today is the first day that almost normal flights have returned over British and European skies. Ironically in the past week of cool clear sunny spring weather; its been since last Thursday  when all flights were stopped, because of a 'pesky' small Southern Icelandic volcano erupting, creating  a possible threat from the high altitude volcanic dust cloud, thinly spreading itself across the airways.  

The damage to aircraft cannot be underestimated, since a search and rescue helicopter which had to go out to an emergency call in Scotland, returned with its engines seriously affected by the fine volcanic ash, and had to be grounded for extensive maintenance repairs.

Interesting to note, that an unusual silence fell across London and the rest of the U.K. skies for days, where even faint birdsong could be heard again! Terminals and roads were empty at the airports, from the usual throng of busy traffic. And aircraft were parked up 'nose to tail' in every available space remaining.

Yesterday morning in a few minutes, I saw the now rare and strange sight of three passenger aircraft at high altitude, vapour trailing as they hurriedly headed west towards the North Atlantic. Whilst all aircraft were grounded at airports in Britain?!

Was there over reaction, to the size of the potential dangerous dust cloud over Europe? Time will tell.











Now the economic recriminations begin; between the airlines, the Meteorological Office, and politicians, about who is responsible for the cost, the delays, and the hundreds of thousands of stranded passengers!
Not forgetting the vast amount of perishable airfreight stuck in cargo warehouses at the airports, rapidly rotting away!

Is this a timely and 'gentle' reminder about the fragility of air travel and our over reliance on it, and taking it for granted?