Ash problems cost East Midlands more than £1m
15.06.10
East Midlands Airport has said flight cancellations caused by the volcanic ash cloud cost it more than £1m. Brian Conway, the airport's head of external affairs, said over 1000 flights cancelled grounded in April and May, and it not only lost out on income from flights, but also from airport parking and on-site shop sales. The airport is calling for compensation from the Government, although it seems unlikely to receive it.
Mr Conway said 63,000 passengers were affected at East Midlands Airport, adding: ‘Most of the disruption was caused in April, so compared with the previous year passenger traffic was down 31% in that month. The ash cloud has compounded the difficulties the industry was already facing.'
Although the EC has said it will draw up guidelines to allow national Governments to compensate airlines, the Department for Transport said last week, given the well publicised problems with public finances in the UK, it is unlikely to be in a position to compensate airports and airlines, even if it wanted to.
Add to: del.icio.us | Digg it | Newsvine | NowPublic | Reddit
To book a east midlands airport hotel or east midlands airport car park at the lowest price click on these links to east midlands airport car parking and east midlands airport hotel price comparison websites.
