The closure of U.K. airports as a result of the cloud of volcanic ash covering the country and the subsequent cancellation of flights has left over 745 British tourists stranded in Menorca. This is the figure quoted by the airport management company, AENA, as the number of people who have been unable to leave on direct flights from the island to the U.K., to which must be added those visitors who came via Palma or Barcelona, an unknown quantity.
Fortunately the holiday season is not yet in full swing so the number of people affected is relatively low. The major tour operators such as Cosmos, Thomson, First Choice and J.M.C. only start their season in Menorca on 1st May, while Palmair's first clients are due on 29th April and James Villas' on 30th April.
Saga
Saga is one company that has been affected, the group's Head of Communication Paul Green confirming that they have 102 holidaymakers currently staying in the Hotel San Luís in S'Algar, six of whom were due to have left the island yesterday and another eleven booked on flights this weekend. "As soon as flights become available we will get our people home" he stated, adding that the holidays were fully inclusive and included a free bar and that the company would be "picking up the tab for their prolonged stay".
Any Saga customers due to have arrived on one of the cancelled flights would be offered either a full refund or a booking at a later date.
Private bookings
Many visitors at this time of the year are either property owners or private bookings who are staying in villas belonging to friends or family members. Although accommodation for the extra days is not a problem, the extra cost involved in an extended holiday could be and some may find it hard to recover the additional expenses from their insurance companies.
Alternative routes
The Honorary British Consul, Deborah Hellyer, has been inundated with calls, mainly from holidaymakers without access to the Internet or satellite television "just asking for more news". However, there have been a few people needing to return to the U.K. urgently whom she has helped to find alternative routes, such as by ferry to the mainland and then overland before boarding a ferry from northern Spain or one of the Channel ports. The fact that Balearia has laid on extra ferries has made it easier to get to Barcelona.
Deborah Hellyer remarked on a strange phenomenon: some people who own holiday homes on the island but have been stranded whilst on holiday elsewhere have made their way to Menorca to "sit it out in their own place", at least ensuring that their accommodation for their extended holiday is free.
Some airports to reopen
The National Air Traffic Systems (Nats) has announced that airspace over Scotland and as far south as Teesside and Blackpool would reopen at 0700 hrs. today and that Manchester would open two hours later with more southerly airports expected to open later in the day and European airports to be operating normally by Thursday.
However, stranded holidaymakers in Menorca who have not already booked an alternative flight may find they have to wait a little longer. At the time of going to press, Monarch airline's online booking service could offer no one-way seats on flights from Menorca until next Tuesday, to Birmingham (411 euros) and Manchester (450 euros), or Friday 30th April, Gatwick and Luton at 112 and 99 euros respectively.
Stranded Brits Golf Open
British golfers forced to stay on the island longer than they had expected due to cancelled flights have the chance to win a U.K. to Menorca return (?) flight in a competition being held this week at Son Parc Golf Club.
Organised by Monarch Airlines the "Monarch Icelandic Volcanic Stranded Brits Open" competition will be played on Thursday 22nd (from 1330 hrs.) as an 18-hole individual Stableford competition with two categories, regular and casual. The prize in each category, the aforementioned flight, is restricted to "stranded Brits".