The Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted in April 2010, causing prolonged closure of European airspace. 100,000 flights were cancelled during the volcanic ash crisis in April 2010, with over 10 million people affected. 8,200 flights were cancelled on the first day of the crisis alone.
Read the full article on TravelDailyNews.
Reykjavik Bike Tours
Showing posts with label Iceland volcano. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iceland volcano. Show all posts
Friday, 27 May 2011
Volcanic eruption in Iceland seems to be over
The Grimsvotn Lakes eruption in Vatnajokull glacier in Iceland seems to be over. Volunteers from the general public, unpaid rescue team workers, as well as the minister of tourism have joined hands to help the local people in a cleanup operation.
The eruption in Grimsvotn Lakes started Saturday, May 21, and produced more ash in only a couple of days than the infamous Eyjafjallajokull’s much longer eruption in 2010. This time, however, the ash was not as fine grained and did not spread as much as in last year‘s eruption, which is particularly good news for the aviation and tourism industries.
Iceland‘s international airport in Keflavik, 35 miles from the capital city Reykjavik, was closed one day as a safety precaution. In hindsight, it may not have been necessary to close the airport as the ash cloud did not reach it. Aviation authorities in Europe had better information this time on which to base airport closures than during last year‘s eruption. The experience gained from last year’s eruption avoided a repeat aviation chaos across Europe.
Ash is being cleaned from roads, village streets, residences, and institutions in the affected area south of the volcano.
The summer tourist season is under way and tourists have returned to the area.
First published on eTurboNews.
Reykjavik Bike Tours
The eruption in Grimsvotn Lakes started Saturday, May 21, and produced more ash in only a couple of days than the infamous Eyjafjallajokull’s much longer eruption in 2010. This time, however, the ash was not as fine grained and did not spread as much as in last year‘s eruption, which is particularly good news for the aviation and tourism industries.
Iceland‘s international airport in Keflavik, 35 miles from the capital city Reykjavik, was closed one day as a safety precaution. In hindsight, it may not have been necessary to close the airport as the ash cloud did not reach it. Aviation authorities in Europe had better information this time on which to base airport closures than during last year‘s eruption. The experience gained from last year’s eruption avoided a repeat aviation chaos across Europe.
Ash is being cleaned from roads, village streets, residences, and institutions in the affected area south of the volcano.
The summer tourist season is under way and tourists have returned to the area.
First published on eTurboNews.
Reykjavik Bike Tours
Tuesday, 24 May 2011
Iceland eruption frightful for tour operators
The eruption which started in Grimsvotn Lakes in Vatnajokull glacier in the southeast of Iceland about 350 km from Reykjavik on Saturday night reminds many of last year's eruption in Eyjafjallajokull.
“It’s a frightful situation for us and the tourism industry in Iceland,” said Rannveig Gretarsdottir, the CEO of Elding Whale Watching Company in Reykjavik, “We’re at the start of the tourist season, and I am afraid that the eruption will physically, or mentally, discourage foreign tourists from visiting the country. All we can hope for at this stage is that the eruption ends soon and for flights to return back to normal.”
“In our first year, we dealt with the banking crisis, in the second year, we dealt with the eruption in Eyjafjallajokull, and now, in our third year, we get to deal with another eruption,” said Ursula Spitzbart, the CEO of Reykjavik Bike Tours, “These are trying times for us in the bicycle tour business, as well as everyone else in Iceland involved in tourism.”
Last year’s eruption in Eyjafjallajokull started on March 20 and petered out in May. Visitor numbers compared to the previous year dropped by 20 percent in April and May due to cancellations and disruptions of flights. The end result for visitor numbers in 2010 was on par with 2009, which was a record year.
It is difficult to predict how long an eruption can last. The last eruption in Grimsvotn Lakes in Vatnajokull was in 2004 and lasted for a week. There have been several eruptions in Grimsvotn Lakes in the last decades, and they have all been relatively short lived. An eruption in 1873 lasted 7 months, but intensity was relatively low during that time. After a forceful start to this eruption, it started to show reduced activity on day 2 (Sunday).
This article was written by Stefan Helgi Valsson, first published on eTurboNews 23 May 2011.
“It’s a frightful situation for us and the tourism industry in Iceland,” said Rannveig Gretarsdottir, the CEO of Elding Whale Watching Company in Reykjavik, “We’re at the start of the tourist season, and I am afraid that the eruption will physically, or mentally, discourage foreign tourists from visiting the country. All we can hope for at this stage is that the eruption ends soon and for flights to return back to normal.”
“In our first year, we dealt with the banking crisis, in the second year, we dealt with the eruption in Eyjafjallajokull, and now, in our third year, we get to deal with another eruption,” said Ursula Spitzbart, the CEO of Reykjavik Bike Tours, “These are trying times for us in the bicycle tour business, as well as everyone else in Iceland involved in tourism.”
Last year’s eruption in Eyjafjallajokull started on March 20 and petered out in May. Visitor numbers compared to the previous year dropped by 20 percent in April and May due to cancellations and disruptions of flights. The end result for visitor numbers in 2010 was on par with 2009, which was a record year.
It is difficult to predict how long an eruption can last. The last eruption in Grimsvotn Lakes in Vatnajokull was in 2004 and lasted for a week. There have been several eruptions in Grimsvotn Lakes in the last decades, and they have all been relatively short lived. An eruption in 1873 lasted 7 months, but intensity was relatively low during that time. After a forceful start to this eruption, it started to show reduced activity on day 2 (Sunday).
This article was written by Stefan Helgi Valsson, first published on eTurboNews 23 May 2011.
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