to be fed up by all the comments that its "just holiday makers" stranded!

[macdoodle]

Is it envy that these people had a nice holiday? What is the problem with a bit of sympathy??

These poor people have been stuck through no fault of their own, most are having to spend ridiculous amounts of money for a place to stay, some have small children, some have children missing school, some have jobs to get back to (I personally know a good few doctors stranded unable to get back to work), some were on business, I should think all are losing/spending money!

I cant imagine its very much fun at all, especially if you have little children, I know I am usually pleased to get home after a holiday!

COI I am not stranded nor do is anyone near/dear to me stranded, I just feel incredibly symapathetic for these folk,and really peed off when people make saracastic comments about "poor holiday makers"!!

I have never heard anyone sarcastically comment 'its just holidaymakers'.

londonartemis - we're waiting for one of those stuck neurologists to get back so we can get the results of DH's MRI. Appt was Monday

The co my dh works for is without their Hr Director. He is stranded. i wonder whether he will have to take it as holiday!

TBH sherbert, not sure this counts as 'major problem' for embassy. The embassy is not there to sort out general travel woes/money problems. They consider a major problem to be accidents, death, criminal charges, imprsionment, natural disasters, civil war etc. Assumption is always that responsibility for sorting out issues is with the individual when abroad but embassy will assist if possible or where expert advice is needed. While the overall situation is extreme, the individual impact - money/problematic travel - isn't considered to be so IYSWIM as this can happen a lot to travellers and they are expected to have the means to deal with it as part of their own personal responsibility. Therefore nobody should expect embassies to help travellers individually in this situation, although of course given the severity overall they are probably doing a lot behind the scenes re working with travel authorities, trying to get info out there etc. and should be expected to do that.

If DH's flight doesn't leave this evening the alternative journey will take 4 days and cost nearly £5k inc accommodation. Luckily this is covered by his employer, and it is that or wait until 3rd May. There will be many others in this situation without an emplyer to foot the bill...if we had both been there that is nearly £10k. What a position to be in for some people. And not something you can always have a contingency for.

Even if people are 'just' on holiday, does that make it ok because they somehow deserve it? Bizarre logic.

This is why I don't holiday abroad with little children except to visit family.

No, it's not just holiday makers, but tbh, I feel sorry for Haitian earthquake victims, not really for people stranded by volcanic ash.

Rocinante.. I've just this moment heard an RAF plane take off, first I have heard in ages

Was just going to post that Expat . Yes it will probably rain but we can drive there in an hour and don't have to go near an airport.

I do feel sorry for them but shit happens - they havent lost their homes/children in an earthquake/tsunami. People in our street have just been told they have to pay £20k because their gardens are built on contaminated land feeling really sorry for them at the moment not people who took a holiday and got stuck for a few days.

Now all these people think someone else should pay their bills.

It's a fucking volcano, no one's bloody fault!

Why on Earth should any person or body be expected to pay 'compensation' for extra 'holiday' costs when an act of nature steps in and strands someone.

Only in the Britain, I'm telling you!

Had to turn over GMTV. Give.me.a.fucking.break.

A group of 10 Italians stranded in my town paid 6k for a cab to Milan!! This included 2 drivers to share the driving to ensure a fast transfer.

The same cab is picking up somebody from my town stranded in Milan on the way back! [grin
]

There is a "hitchiking site" run by the local newspaper, where people can arrange car travel together.

A group of young "stag weekenders" were stranded in Barcelona, bought a Toyota, and will drive it home and sell it here! (One is a car dealer, so knows the hoops)

Sometimes people just put their thinking hats on and come up with solutions.

I should add, it was a bargain cab faire, John Cleese forked out 4k on a cab From Oslo to Amsterdam, which is less than a quarter of the journey (we are 27 hours further North than Oslo)

I should add, our stranded friend is living the life of Riley on trains through Scandinavia, he texted from stockholm saying he and the kids enjoyed a cruise between the Islands of Stockhom, and were really thrilled to get an extra adventure out of this. (though I think Dad is worried about his cash flow, but hey, have to get back to work somehow?)

I've been feeling the opposite. I've just heard them say on the news that Nick Clegg's children are "victims" of the delayed flights. And have been hearing a lot of fuss and sympathy.
When this sort of thing happens in other parts of the world people lose their homes and whole villages and livelihoods.

In not too long some holiday maker will come home after having a bit of a delay saying "We are survivors.

They did say on moneybox live that so long as you've stayed where you're supposed to be and not gone off to get a ferry/eurostar etc then you should be able to claim expenses occurred. (If you go off then you are no longer the responsibilty of the airline). And of course health insurance is still valid until your actual return.