Travellers in Iceland are safe and sound. Daily life continues as normal. Safety is paramount. Sensational foreign press not reflecting the real situation.
Press release: The Icelandic Tourist Council wants to emphasize that day-to-day life in Iceland is going on as usual, even though the volcanic eruption in Eyjafjallajökull glacier on the south coast of Iceland has made a profound impact and generated dangers in that specified area. In other parts of the country, Icelanders’ daily life is proceeding quite normally.
Even though the eruption in Eyjafjallajökull is relatively small, airborne volcanic ash has dispersed over a wide area and disrupted air travel in Europe. It is the joint task of the aviation and tourism authorities in Europe to find ways to transport travellers to their destinations with absolute safety.
It is the task of Iceland’s Civil Protection Department to ensure that the utmost safety measures are followed in Iceland, and to provide a constant flow of information to all parties that need it. This is being handled in a very efficient and experienced way by teams of experts in all relevant areas. Euro Control and the Volcanic Ash Centre take decisions on air travel authorisations in Europe.
Even if the eruption is prolonged – and its duration is impossible to predict – it is considered not unlikely that volcanic ash formation will taper off once the preconditions for the mixture of water and embers no longer exist.
The Icelandic Tourist Council hopes that exaggerated and misleading news reports on the eruption and the impact on daily life in Iceland, published in some of the international media over the last couple of days, will not cause undue alarm but encourages travellers to keep abreast of developments.
Travellers currently in Iceland are safe and sound, and the appropriate parties are making every effort to make their stay as pleasant and comfortable as possible. All travellers stranded in Reykjavík due to the flight restrictions to Europe have been offered a complimentary Reykjavík Welcome Card which gives access to all the museums and exhibitions in Reykjavík, thermal pools, public transport and more.
Your country is really incredible, i admire the way you icelanders go on even wuth all that volcano mess . Where can i find some stuff about it?
Hi from Italy
If only you could make huge income exporting your competence, calmness and civilized response to crisis to US and other parts of the world lacking same.
I was in Iceland two years back
It was very good visit stay in Grand Hotel
I want to know if the volcanic nowadays same area what we visited , there was water fall and another area has steam under ground coming up every few minutes
did we visited that volcanic area which is creating ash problem now adays ?
God bless all iceland and Icelandic people
Ali Ghawas
Bahrain
“It is the task of Iceland’s Civil Protection Department to ensure that the utmost safety measures are followed in Iceland, and to provide a constant flow of information to all parties that need it. This is being handled in a very efficient and experienced way by teams of experts in all relevant areas. Euro Control and the Volcanic Ash Centre take decisions on air travel authorisations in Europe.”
Certainly a good idea to emphasize this. Concerned travellers want to know who is overseeing the situation and making the decisions.
However, “exaggerated and misleading news reports on the eruption and the impact on daily life in Iceland”? I haven’t seen these. What is reported in European newspapers seems to be in sync with what Icenews and the Icelandreview wrote about the situation. Did some tabloids (I don’t read them regularly) engage in fear mongering?
Btw, in the update about the vulcano activity, reported here, it was said:
“Icelandic scientists and public authorities, the Meterological Institution (http://en.vedur.is/) and the Icelandic Civil Aviation Administration (http://www.isavia.is/), remain in close contact with their counterparts in Europe in order to monitor the eruption, the weather conditions and the projected path of the volcanic ash cloud.”
Hmm, the Icelandic Civil Aviation Administration? Isn’t this agency actually making the decisions on Icelandic airports and the airspace? Sure looks that way:
“A reorganization of the Icelandic Civil Aviation Administration (ICAA) took effect at the end of 2006. This resulted in the establishment of a new limited shareholding company, ISAVIA, that took over responsibility for the provision of air navigation services and airport operations. The ICAA retains the responsibility for public policy and safety regulation as well as assuming a more assertive role in economic regulation.
Services are provided by two divisions, the Airport and Navigation Systems Division responsible for the operation of airports and navigation systems and the Air Traffic Management Division, responsible for the air traffic control services.
…
ISAVIA is completely state-owned and its shares administered by the Minister of Transportation.”
http://www.flugstodir.is/?PageID=104
So, isn’t it actually true that ISAVIA, that state owned company controlled by the Ministry of Transport, and supervised by the governmental ICAA, make the decisions about the Icelandic part of the air travel, and not Eurocontrol? Why isn’t this mentioned at all in this official statement by the Icelandic Tourist Council?
I can imagine, that some mad lawyers in Britain or the States will sue Iceland in the future for not having taken care enough of their volcano
Icelandic Tourist Council seeks to reassure visitors – This is most needed because of so much sensationalism in reporting. A different angle should have been better. Factual reporting – coming first and giving the report. Actual overview.
Others who have hear about volcanic exlposion immediately refers to casualties but not in Iceland. Being brought up to the severe conditions in the Land of Ice and Fire, hard working, readiness, adoptability, foreshadow, intuition, courage, bravery and lot more makes the people hard and strong. Ready for any eventuality. Quick as in the Icesave incident when no one to turn to, Iceland stood firm and strong. Found other alternatives.
So now hope you’ll all understand and thank you for your kind considerations.
Scary stuff but icelanders handled it well//didn’t seem like they were freaking out as a community at any point. While i was in PEru taking a trip to arequipa and the misty volcano (which trembles from time to time) an american woman freaked out and madly asked to leave the campsite..kind of funny really// well if anyone is interested in peru http://www.closerperu.com has some good info and good prices on packages