(12-25-2023, 05:07 AM)ChunksterK Wrote: Appartently this is legit. I have seen it in mainstream media, and now it is on the National Parks website:
https://www.nps.gov/havo/learn/news/2023-12-21-atmp.htm
This may put some of the tour companies out of business, but I don't expect too many tears to be shed by affected Puna residents.
Helicopter tour companies have the ability to scale up and down quickly. A lot of their business involves chasing cruise ship schedules which are often times seasonal. As with all supply / demand operations, I'm guessing that the price of a helicopter tour is about to go up.
I remember during the eruptions that "left the park" like 2014 and 2018 they implemented no-fly zones but I still remember a lot of helicopter traffic. Did I imagine that or could they get close enough with the no-fly to tour anyway?
The frustrating thing is that with decades of complaints, they could have done this all along? What changed? Some park rulemaker buy a house under a fly zone?
No flights on Sundays.... the day there are traditionally no cruise ships in port.