Budget carriers told they could do better in crisis

PASSENGERS bedded down on Red Cross mattresses or queued to findflight information online at Scotland's busiest airport yesterday asdrifting ash from Iceland's Grimsvotn volcano wreaked havoc ontravel plans.While some airlines at Edinburgh airport had staffhelping to book train journeys and hotel accommodation for strandedair travellers, a number of passengers complained that theircarriers had not been so helpful.Ross Monfort, 26, a US soldier, andhis parents had booked to fly to Dublin with Ryanair but said thebudget airline had not made much effort to assist passengers."Theirdesk was not open this morning when we arrived and we were not giveninformation on customer rights or any vouchers for food," hesaid."I've been using the internet to find out what's going on butwithout that you would be a second-class customer."Even though it'svery inconvenient and disappointing it's not nearly as bad aswaiting in a flight line in Iraq for six days. At least I'm with myfamily, there's air conditioning and I'm and not carrying 30lbs ofgear in over 100 degree heat."Shawn Kelly, 54, from Vancouver, andhis wife Pamela, who had been due to fly on a British Airways flightto London for a connecting flight to Athens, were among those tryingto get some sleep on the Red Cross mattresses."We've been given twoGBP10 food vouchers but we are not being told anything about what'sgoing on unless we chase staff down," he said.Grandmother AngelaRojas, 62, from Madrid, who does not speak English or use theinternet, was helped by a niece and easyJet staff to arrange a trainto London for a flight from there this morning.Her niece, Mar Lanch,25, from Glasgow, said: "I don't think easyJet know very much aboutwhat's going on but they have tried to be very helpful and havebooked a hotel in London."My aunt had come over to seen her newborngrandchildren, twins Lucia and David who are only three weeks old.She would never have managed all this by herself, she had neverflown before and coming to Scotland was her first flight."Red Crossvolunteers offered toiletries to passengers and liaised with apharmacist for emergency prescriptions.At Glasgow airport, ElizabethFlaherty from East Kilbride, who was due to fly to Majorca at 8:30amwas told a coach would take her to Manchester for a flight around5pm.She said: "It's going to be a long day. I'm trying to staycheerful. There's nothing else I can do."Guy McKinven, who wastravelling with easyJet to Stansted to spend a week with hisgrandmother, said: "You see people shouting and getting upset, butthere's nothing you can do."I'm going to stay until the afternoonand see what happens. I'm keeping my fingers crossed."