Over here, hospitals were in trouble this morning because so many of their staff were stranded abroad after the Easter holidays. In case you haven’t heard, thousands of travellers of all nationalities have had their plans disrupted.
British air space has been declared a no-go area with planes unable to take off or land because of fears that the volcanic ash cloud which has spread down from the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull in Iceland will clog up their motors.
Forced to have to spend extra days at their holiday destination, there is some confusion over whether any compensation will be payable. Some say it’s an ‘act of God’, whilst other representatives of ABTA, the Association of British Travel Agents, say that, under the rules those passengers are all entitled to have their accommodation, food and alternative travel arrangements reimbursed by the airline companies.
This morning, I’m sure I was not alone as I contemplated the fact that I could have had an extra day in bed tacked onto the end of my own holiday if only I’d been less honest.
Even my favourite Radio One DJ, Chris Moyles was marooned in New York and unable to get a studio set up to transmit his morning show until tomorrow, whilst the news bulletins talked of various celebs similarly stuck in London when they should have been elsewhere on their worldwide promotional junket. The whole world seems to have been affected and there is talk of support groups for VAVs – the Volcanic Ash Victims. Postulations were even made that British seaside resorts might be getting higher visitor numbers this summer because of the knock-on effect. We’ll see!
With the crisis entering its fifth day, naval warships have been despatched to bring home UK nationals from foreign climes and local news stations are commandeering large inflatables to get people back from across the Channel.
The news is that Scottish air space is being opened tomorrow and the big airports in the South should be able to start operating again some time late tomorrow afternoon but it remains to be seen if the volcano will get a second wind and start producing more ash in the future.
Whatever, those with asthma and other breathing problems, as well as those with hayfever, are advised to keep their inhalers and medications close by.
In a highly unscientific study I undertook yesterday, everybody I asked knew somebody who had been affected by the ash cloud. In my daughter’s class, a girl who is a member of the Champion Danish Cheerleading team was due to fly out to the USA yesterday to take part in the world championships but of course they couldn’t go and she was inconsolable.
Stop press: I have just opened a letter from the doctor’s surgery informing me that my appointment tomorrow has been cancelled: My G.P. has simply not been able to get back from holiday.
In some ways, it’s quite amusing but, in others, very irritating and, still more, deeply upsetting :) Another burst seems to be on its way too!
We have at times been affected by ASH in the sky.
Last year, just after I few to work, Mt. Readout blew it’s stack, and for the next 3-4 weeks, air travel was severely disrupted. In fact the ONLY plane to be on time in the first 2 weeks was mine to go home! Just after I landed at the home airport they closed it again.
Two days after i got home, my daughter gave me my first Grandbaby!
I remember it well! Hope the little one is still doing well x