Gloves for Feet, Socks for Hands

So apparently the Icelandic People have managed to royally piss off some volcano God and He's laying punishment down in the form of spewing ash and fire. That is if you believe that sort of thing. You could go with the "scientific" theory on tectonic plates, but let's face it, that belief has far too much evidence going for it.

Anyhow a volcano is erupting. The ash is spreading over most of Europe, thereby canceling tens of thousands of flights. Obviously this is a bit more than a minor inconvenience for a lot of people. Pilots, flight attendants, air traffic controllers, airport personnel, and passengers are all being affected. And somewhere in the mix, people, mostly the airlines, are pissed at the ones who've decided it's too dangerous to fly.

It is situations like this where I think no one can be happy. So flights are canceled and people are pissed. That's what happens when flights are canceled. However, usually when a flight is canceled, it's because those who canceled the flight are concerned for the safety of the people on board. Let's say the flight restrictions hadn't occurred after the volcano erupted. So planes fly freely, one has mechanical issues and has to land. It's blamed on the ash, so restrictions are enforced. Let's say instead of a mechanical issue, a plane crashes due to the ash. Now lives have been lost, restrictions are made, fingers are pointed and someone gets fired.

So for the people who are upset with these delays, would you rather be delayed for slightly longer and know your plane is fine when it flies, or not be delayed, or delayed briefly, and have a risk of your plane crashing?

I've taken off in the middle of a typhoon before. Although it was quite the hair raising experience, I had full confidence that those who made the decisions, including the pilots, knew exactly what they were doing. And here I am writing this blog.

So let's think for a minute. People who are deciding that planes can't fly over Europe right now should agree that the conditions to fly are more dangerous than flying in a hurricane or typhoon. Is it really worth the risk? Can't that tedious business meeting wait, or wouldn't you rather wait a few more days to see your family than die and never see them again? So to the people who are griping about the travel restrictions; shut up. They're thinking about your lives and your safety and doing the best they can to keep your health status in its current condition.