Narrative:

Volcanic ash safety concerns. During preflight, noticed considerable dirty water stains on windscreen of aircraft. Called maintenance to verify it was from volcanic ash which had been mixed in the rain that had fallen since our arrival 1 hour prior. Mechanic verified it was volcanic ash. Called dispatch to relay our concerns and reported to him that there was volcanic ash on the windscreen. I asked whether it was advisable to take off under these conditions since it was raining in a very large area in the surrounding airspace. Not only was volcanic ash forecast, it was visibly present. Dispatch said to call back 15 mins later. Approximately 10 mins later, I was told that there were no reports of ash from ground or tower. They seemed to think my report did not matter. I told them that I still was concerned about flying through an area with known volcanic ash at which time I was told to standby. About 15 seconds later dispatch informed me that the flight was canceled. A few mins later we were informed that we would deadhead to mia in a half hour. This aircraft also had volcanic ash on its windscreen. Needless to say, flight operations continued for some time from ZZZ despite my report of volcanic ash. It seemed that destination was affecting the decision to cancel flts as opposed to stopping all flts due to ash at ZZZ. I believe that safety was being compromised in the interest of maintaining schedule. I, for one, believe in adhering to procedures which prohibit flying in areas of known volcanic ash. In my opinion, after receiving my report, all flying should have ceased at ZZZ, regardless of destination. There was precipitation in all quadrants on any and all departure routes which had in them volcanic ash as evidenced by the condition of our windscreen. According to operations agents the following day, 2 air carrier aircraft were damaged by ash. Safety should always trump schedule. This, in my view, did not happen at ZZZ.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF B757 RPTS COMPANY FAILED TO RESPOND TO THEIR RPTS OF VOLCANIC ASH CONTAMINATION IN PRECIPITATION SURROUNDING THEIR ARPT OF DEP. FLTS WERE CANCELED SELECTIVELY AND OTHERS CONTINUED TO OPERATE DESPITE EVIDENCE OF CONTINUED VOLCANIC PRECIPITATE IN THE AREA.

Narrative: VOLCANIC ASH SAFETY CONCERNS. DURING PREFLT, NOTICED CONSIDERABLE DIRTY WATER STAINS ON WINDSCREEN OF ACFT. CALLED MAINT TO VERIFY IT WAS FROM VOLCANIC ASH WHICH HAD BEEN MIXED IN THE RAIN THAT HAD FALLEN SINCE OUR ARR 1 HR PRIOR. MECH VERIFIED IT WAS VOLCANIC ASH. CALLED DISPATCH TO RELAY OUR CONCERNS AND RPTED TO HIM THAT THERE WAS VOLCANIC ASH ON THE WINDSCREEN. I ASKED WHETHER IT WAS ADVISABLE TO TAKE OFF UNDER THESE CONDITIONS SINCE IT WAS RAINING IN A VERY LARGE AREA IN THE SURROUNDING AIRSPACE. NOT ONLY WAS VOLCANIC ASH FORECAST, IT WAS VISIBLY PRESENT. DISPATCH SAID TO CALL BACK 15 MINS LATER. APPROX 10 MINS LATER, I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE NO RPTS OF ASH FROM GND OR TWR. THEY SEEMED TO THINK MY RPT DID NOT MATTER. I TOLD THEM THAT I STILL WAS CONCERNED ABOUT FLYING THROUGH AN AREA WITH KNOWN VOLCANIC ASH AT WHICH TIME I WAS TOLD TO STANDBY. ABOUT 15 SECONDS LATER DISPATCH INFORMED ME THAT THE FLT WAS CANCELED. A FEW MINS LATER WE WERE INFORMED THAT WE WOULD DEADHEAD TO MIA IN A HALF HR. THIS ACFT ALSO HAD VOLCANIC ASH ON ITS WINDSCREEN. NEEDLESS TO SAY, FLT OPS CONTINUED FOR SOME TIME FROM ZZZ DESPITE MY RPT OF VOLCANIC ASH. IT SEEMED THAT DEST WAS AFFECTING THE DECISION TO CANCEL FLTS AS OPPOSED TO STOPPING ALL FLTS DUE TO ASH AT ZZZ. I BELIEVE THAT SAFETY WAS BEING COMPROMISED IN THE INTEREST OF MAINTAINING SCHEDULE. I, FOR ONE, BELIEVE IN ADHERING TO PROCS WHICH PROHIBIT FLYING IN AREAS OF KNOWN VOLCANIC ASH. IN MY OPINION, AFTER RECEIVING MY RPT, ALL FLYING SHOULD HAVE CEASED AT ZZZ, REGARDLESS OF DEST. THERE WAS PRECIPITATION IN ALL QUADRANTS ON ANY AND ALL DEP ROUTES WHICH HAD IN THEM VOLCANIC ASH AS EVIDENCED BY THE CONDITION OF OUR WINDSCREEN. ACCORDING TO OPS AGENTS THE FOLLOWING DAY, 2 ACR ACFT WERE DAMAGED BY ASH. SAFETY SHOULD ALWAYS TRUMP SCHEDULE. THIS, IN MY VIEW, DID NOT HAPPEN AT ZZZ.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.