RETURN OF THE ASH CLOUD?

All you have to do in conversation is mention the word Ash Cloud and this brings back many a black cloud to many of us, not just for the Travel Industry but also for many many people stranded and the possibility that this again could be imminent, is a  frightening thought.

At a cost of around 1.7 billion dollars the Ash Cloud was a huge disaster in 2010 with more than 100,000 flights cancelled and affecting around 10 million people world wide and although  presently there are no signs of an eruption it cant be ruled out that the current activity won’t lead into an outburst of ash emission.

If you had booked a complete package through a tour operator then you were looked after and flown home when safe to do so, my colleague was in Gran Canaria at the time and she was one of the lucky ones. The tour operator paid for her and her family to remain in the All Inclusive Hotel until they could fly them back. Unfortunately it is not so lucky for many.

If  flights and accommodation had been booked separately then unfortunately  monies weren’t  protected and millions of people were left stranded with no way of getting home and having to find the money and rely on family and friends to help.

I am sure you will have heard many stories of rescue missions to bring people back to the UK who were stranded abroad and one I will never forget will be that of the Celebrity Eclipse . Brand new and never been used she missed her inaugural events to travel to Bilbao to collect 2000 people and bring them back to the uk. Not only an amazing rescue mission but also a lovely ride home for passengers who were cold hungry and thirsty and who had been stranded for at least five days.

So whats the latest?

In a statement by the Met office on Monday they said the strongest earthquake in this region since 1996 had been recorded earlier in the day and together with the evidence that the  flow of magma movement shallower than 6.2 miles also implies increased potential of a volcanic eruption. Because of this the the met office has raised the risk level to orange.

Have we learned from 2010?

Since the Ash Cloud in 2010 reputable agencies are now legally bound to provide their customers with an ATOL Certificate, if flights, transfers and accommodation are booked through them , its a kind of insurance policy to say your money is protected .

I guess the real question is have we learned to be more careful now when booking our holidays, it is so easy to forget the events of 2010 and carry on as before but with the same thing a possibility of happening again  is it a case of too little too late for some or a sigh of relief to those who have learned a valuable lesson and now book all elements of their trip though an agent where receiving an ATOL Certificate is mandatory.

On a positive note, as Southampton is now Europe’s busiest cruise port, for anyone sailing out of the UK you can breathe a sigh of relief and luck forward to your well deserved break. Enjoy!

Please feel free to share your stories and memories of 2010 and what are your thoughts on the latest news.

I sit here typing this with my fingers and toes crossed hoping with all the will in the world this doesn’t happen again.

Holly xx