The BBC reported on Wednesday that about 80% of European flights were scheduled to resume after a weeklong flight ban spanning the continent. Airlines were forced to ground planes last Thursday due to an ash cloud caused by the eruption of volcano Eyjafjallajokull (try that one in a spelling bee!) in Iceland. Over 95,000 flights were canceled as a result, stranding hundreds of thousands of weary travelers from countries around the globe. Now, as flight schedules are struggling with the backlog, the International Air Transports Association (IATA) is estimating that delays have cost airlines 1.7 billion dollars collectively and are calling for European governments to make up the difference.
EU nations have stood behind their decisions to impose flight bans, in spite of criticism from the transportation authorities. What makes the demands for compensation shocking is the flagrant disregard for safety as flights resume in spite of the continued presence of ash particles in the air, which turn into molten glass in the high speed and heat of an airplane engine. What the industries apparently cannot see through a haze of greed is the gamble involved in allowing flights to takeoff in compromised environmental conditions. If a plane is brought down due to the ash particles, the blow to consumer trust will result in even greater losses than already experienced. Additionally, concerns remain that the latest eruption could trigger another nearby volcano Katia, larger than Eyjafjallajokull, whose last major eruption was in 1918. If Katia erupts, the environmental consequences would be disastrous and would make the weeklong delays currently an issue seem trivial in comparison.
Also ignored by the IATA is the impact of the flight ban on other industries and nations. Car industries particularly suffered due to a lack of shipments of parts, with BMW forced to close production for a day and resume under reduced quotas. Honda experienced similar issues, representative of the damage to the Asian economy as exports, the lifeblood of its economy, were unable to be shipped to Western markets. Shipments of fresh flowers and vegetables lay rotting in Africa, posing a palpable threat to the economy of the continent, as well, most notably in Kenya, as the New York Times reported on Monday. The effects of the cancellations were also felt in the US as the United States Travel Associated estimated a loss of 650 million dollars from the American economy, as businesses lost $450,000 per international traveler that would have been spent in the tourism industry. With shockwaves rippling across the globe, the complaints of the IATA take on a new light. Although the blow to the airlines industries was substantial, other industries around the world were also impacted in immeasurable ways that cannot be mediated with compensation. The hazards of air travel are an industry risk and should not be compensated accordingly. In any case, expect charges for “extras” (peanuts are actually crucial for air transportation, contrary to the airline’s belief!) to be on the rise as companies scramble to make up the lost revenue.
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