Nuclear emergency warning issued for 10 airspace regions

[omegaet]

Concern over a possible radioactive hazard from Japan's damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant has prompted a formal warning from airspace monitors.

London Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre has issued a nuclear emergency message covering 10 flight information regions.

Among them are airspace zones in China, Korea, Russia and the USA.

The emergency message is timed at 03:00UTC on 15 March, and is open-ended.

It identifies the affected flight information regions as Fukuoka - the extensive region which encompasses Japanese airspace - plus Manila, Taibei, Shanghai, Incheon, Pyongyang, Vladivostok, Khabarovsk, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Anchorage.

London VAAC handles advisories linked to the threat of volcanic eruption and was heavily involved in co-ordination efforts during the Icelandic ash crisis last year.

At a meeting of the International Airways Volcano Watch operations group in Bangkok, in 2007, the London centre was invited to be the "focal point" for notifying en route air traffic control centres of International Atomic Energy Agency warnings over accidental release of radioactive material.

[kyshel]

Thanks for the bulletin.
I'll be watching closely, as our EOM flights are SFO/NRT/BKK and return 9 days. Not sure I want London VAAC's hand in anything here...
Fortunately, I have good sources to check status and options. Hoping all will subside, for all involved!

[omegaet]

Thanks for the bulletin.
I'll be watching closely, as our EOM flights are SFO/NRT/BKK and return 9 days. Not sure I want London VAAC's hand in anything here...
Fortunately, I have good sources to check status and options. Hoping all will subside, for all involved!

kyshel...what is your feeling these days?

[kyshel]

My take is this--if it blows, we don't go, if it doesn't unravel, we travel.
Our plan is to go and we're actually going early, next Sunday.
DL has maintained full service thru Narita (about 100 miles from the reactor in question) but will suspend all Haneda flights temporarily.. It was new service with light bookings (LAX and DTW routes) so those pax will be rebooked thru NRT or fly later...

[kyshel]

we're doing our "final countdown" and so far, so good...less than a wk away

[travel2fun]

Concern over a possible radioactive hazard from Japan's damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant has prompted a formal warning from airspace monitors.

London Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre has issued a nuclear emergency message covering 10 flight information regions.

Among them are airspace zones in China, Korea, Russia and the USA.

The emergency message is timed at 03:00UTC on 15 March, and is open-ended.

It identifies the affected flight information regions as Fukuoka - the extensive region which encompasses Japanese airspace - plus Manila, Taibei, Shanghai, Incheon, Pyongyang, Vladivostok, Khabarovsk, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Anchorage.

London VAAC handles advisories linked to the threat of volcanic eruption and was heavily involved in co-ordination efforts during the Icelandic ash crisis last year.

At a meeting of the International Airways Volcano Watch operations group in Bangkok, in 2007, the London centre was invited to be the "focal point" for notifying en route air traffic control centres of International Atomic Energy Agency warnings over accidental release of radioactive material.

Well, whatever the eventual outcome of this mess, and it's so unlikely we will really know the facts and far reaching effects, there will be an immediate impact on tourism.

[LL_Travelfan]

You can also probably add Bangkok to the travel advisory due to the earthquake that hit Thailand a little North of Bangkok on the Burma boarder this morning. Here is the link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/ar...=feeds-newsxml

[kyshel]

Most people on the ground in BKK felt nothing but it was different in some multi-story structures.

The quake was actually yesterday and it was felt in several regions. No significant damage in Bangkok. Most effected areas were Chaing Mai, Thailand (Far north of BKK) as well as Myanmar. My niece just shrugged about the magnitude (but, she lives in San Francisco) We're meeting Sunday to fly thru NRT and then to BKK. Up Up and Away (with fingers crossed) On arrival, we're heading slightly south.

I haven't seen any travel advisories, but then, they tend t revert to scary press like the Mexico Flu...

Delta hasn't changed any of their flight schedules (except suspending HND) to any Asian destinations. I'm not aware of any others from the multiple travel forums I utilize.

I sincerely hope the quake damage is dealt with properly. Myanmar is not known for governmental efficiency or compassion.

[LL_Travelfan]

Good luck and safe travels on your upcoming trip.

[kyshel]

Thanks--so far, so good--it's standby and it looks great, even tho my niece flies lower priority--we should both get biz class at least 3 of 4 long haul legs.