tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6110794854146484721.post6746590007592109246..comments2024-03-29T08:05:56.264+00:00Comments on Law and Lawyers: Disruption to Civil AviationObiterJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04544226917595022902noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6110794854146484721.post-81067911223769944562010-04-22T12:42:18.688+01:002010-04-22T12:42:18.688+01:00The bottom line of all this in my opinion is money...The bottom line of all this in my opinion is money. There is no 100% guarantee of anything in this life except death. Ryanair and others [Iberia I believe being another] are claiming "act of god" and how it is unreasonable for them to conform to EU regulation in respect of refunds etc Surely this is what Insurance exists for? The fact that airlines are apparently uninsured against risks of {this} nature [god] is their own shortcoming. Their obligations must be met or forced out of them.The Justice of the Peacehttp://thejusticeofthepeace.blog.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6110794854146484721.post-9078064533659107612010-04-21T17:24:40.526+01:002010-04-21T17:24:40.526+01:00Thanks Ben - good points. I entirely agree that &...Thanks Ben - good points. I entirely agree that "safety" is not an absolute and I agree that the various actions/decisions taken may be criticised. However, I merely think that the time for analysis of all this should be a little later. At this stage, I am not in favour of being unduly critical of those who had to make these difficult decisions. It also seems a little harsh to say that the decisions taken were based on "poor evidence". To say that would require considerable expertise in how these things are monitored.<br /><br />I have just added some interesting links which look at some of the techniques used to monitor volcanic ash. I don't pretend they are a comprehensive coverage of the topic but they are interesting.<br /><br />By the way, before getting into law, I spent a considerable time in civil aviation "at the sharp end" so I know a bit about it.ObiterJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04544226917595022902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6110794854146484721.post-78003021107235515702010-04-21T17:00:29.926+01:002010-04-21T17:00:29.926+01:00"The pity is that the "blame culture&quo..."The pity is that the "blame culture" is now swinging into action. Decisions, based on safety, have been taken in good faith and the volcanic activity still continues and, for all we know, may worsen. The important thing for now is that those responsible make safety assessments on whatever evidence is available and not be influenced by financial and political considerations. "<br /><br /><br /><br />ObiterJ, safety is not an absolute, nor is safety in one regard necessarily in accord with safety in other regards. Safety is and always will be a trade-off, both between other risks (such as road travel, and inability to travel for medical purposes), and other non-safety goals, such as commerce and the joys of travel itself.<br /><br />It is therefore disappointing that you seem to think a decision, because it is <i>based on safety</i>, should therefore be immune from criticism, or even analysis.<br /><br />As for "blame culture", I see nothing wrong robustly challenging such decisions when it seems to you that they are based on poor evidence. Indeed that is currency of a free society.<br /><br />I certaily wouldn't hang a man for making the wrong decision under such circumstances when it is such a rare event, but we must be able to say that, in retrospect, he was wrong, and that he ought to have taken different actions. Or how can we do better next time?<br /><br />The rabble of agencies involved is I think a good thing, as the resulting discussion between interested parties certainly shortened the crisis. If anything I am disappointed that interested groups didn't more robustly challenge the evidential basis. Had they done so we may have got more radiosonde <i>observations</i> done, and the shortcomings of the computer <i>estimates</i> would have come to light much sooner.Bennoreply@blogger.com