We are sure you'll be comforted to know that over the past week there has not been a single Direct Adventures traveller disrupted by the eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull (pronunciation- somewhere between a grumble and a yodel) since with remarkable foresight our potential customers have still not made any bookings - very commendable, but we are now here to assure you that flights have resumed, travel is back!
For many stranded British tourists the shutdown of UK airspace has been a costly nightmare; stories have emerged of less than fairytale-like flights from Russia before visas expired at midnight on the only available train - to Helsinki. For others the ash has highlighted the peculiar length of Icelandic words, the sound of birds singing and the cheek of many insurance companies. But for the lucky ones it's been an adventure and their greatest disappointment was being unable to answer How was your journey? with "Fine, but you know how it is, HMS Ocean was a little slow."
However, the full consequences for travel are yet to be seen. Under EU regulations airlines have been forced to compensate travellers for the cost of flights, food, hotels, transport and phone calls, providing these are 'reasonable costs.' Insurance companies have been willing to extend cover and some such as Amex have provided a set payout per day- but only for 36 hours. HSBC, First Direct and M&S Money have been more forthcoming, accepting the eruption as a 'severe weather' incident.
Yet for most this has been an 'act of god,' and absences from work have not been compensated. In the future, insurance policy is likely to be more specific and, being insurance policy, less willing to provide cover in similar circumstances. Airlines such as Ryanair are threatening to push for change to passenger's rights and regulations, reducing their own responsibility. The airline industry may take 3 years to recover the loss of this single week and the prices of flights have already gone up in the short-term, to supposedly discourage new fliers while demand remains high. In the long-term airlines may make up for costs in ancillary charges: luggage, food, going to the loo, number of breaths per minute, that sort of thing.
But it's not all bad news for travellers, the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) ensures that travel companies, including Direct Adventures, refund the full package price or provide an alternative trip if travellers are unable to go on holiday at all due to the volcanic eruption. All fingers are crossed that, given the change in the rules for flying through ash -changes which were admittedly a little suspicious at first but Nats now assures us (disconcertingly) outdated rules were being used - a shutdown on this scale will not happen again soon.
