Everything in the airline system is completely diabled.  Isn’t it crazy?   Today we called Tarom Airlines and we are supposed to call at 6pm for the final verdict.  We are watching CNN with fervor.

From CNN: It’s the worst disruption of air traffic since the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States in 2001. Following those attacks, the United States closed its air space for three days, forcing Europe to postpone all transatlantic flights.

Volcanic ash contains particles, whose melting point is below that of an engine’s internal temperature. During flight, these particles will immediately melt if they go through an engine. Going through the turbine, the melted materials rapidly cool down, stick on the turbine vanes, and disturb the flow of high-pressure combustion gases.

“When it gets into the jet engines and the jet engine inlets, literally it remelts this material — this ash material,” said Mary Schiavo, the former inspector general of the U.S. Department of Transportation. “And it forms a glass-like substance on the jet engine vanes and the parts and it can clog them and it will stop them.”

The problem, however, was that it took up to an hour to get through to an airline representative on the phone. And the airlines could not tell passengers when they would be able to fly again. We have the same problem here trying to get through to the representatives.

Problem Number 1: Tarom says that they will be closed until 12pm tomorrow. I miss my flight. We understand that the tickets are nonrefundable because of a natural disaster so the only way I can actually be in the positive is to get another flight to Bulgaria, but, it could take days. So flying to Bulgaria is out.

Problem Number 2: Bulgaria is closer than Hungary but if I get a driver to there, will I make my Hungarian flight? There is no way I can get on the train with more than one bag. To get a driver from Bulgaria to Hungary, they will have to drive back to Romania then to Hungary. This could cost a fortune.

Hungary is more important than Bulgaria, because it has my exit flight out. If I can’t fly to Bulgaria or get an immediate flight, I need to decide what to do to complete my journey to Bulgaria, or if I can make it there.   We can drive, it is about 5 hours but I hate so to have someone take me, gasoline is expensive and time here is so precious.   I can get on the train but I’m sure that the trains are packed like sardines with people from the flights switching over.

The last thing I want to do is to cancel my trip to Bulgaria, but it may be inevitable.   I’ve looked forward to seeing Margarita my colleague there and her daughter Nora that works with Little Miracles families.  I am also meeting Ivo, Todor and Polly former LMI attorneys.   A really wonderful reunion which now may not happen.

OOhhhhh I just remembered I had travel insurance. I shall return after checking that.

Plan B: Live in Romania?

I have a terrible completely impossible internet connection here in Tirgoviste.