UAE carriers have risen to the occasion

Abu Dhabi, April 22, 2010 (WAM)- With the entire aviation sector under a cloud ever since an Icelandic volcano spewed ash into the atmosphere, there is a silver lining to this disruption. The UAE carriers have risen to the significant challenges for air passengers by providing accommodation and food for thousands of stranded travellers, commented a UAE paper.
Emirates, for example, has had close to 300 flights cancelled because of the eruption, with some 80,000 travellers affected. But the airline has, at huge cost, undertaken a dramatic and far-reaching effort to ensure all of those affected by the chaos are welcomed and accommodated, said Dubai-based English language newspaper "Gulf News" in its yesterday's editorial.
While there are, no doubt, the occasional hiccups in any logistical operation of this size, the airline has gone above and beyond the normal standards, giving first-class care to all of its travellers.
Etihad, too, has risen to the challenge with equal vigour, spending millions of dirhams daily on accommodation for the stranded.
Yesterday, Scottish authorities indicated they may open their airspace. Other signs began to emerge that, ever so slowly, this bizarre and unprecedented episode is coming to an end. For full service to return, many more test flights and careful inspections will be needed to ensure the safety of all who take to the skies. Whether the return to normal takes place swiftly or slowly, the entire aviation industry faces a trying and difficult task, it pointed out.
"Both Emirates and Etihad have made considerable contingency plans and are ready to activate their full fleets to clear the backlog of passengers. As soon as the skies clear, both airlines will be adding extra flights and making every effort possible to return the situation to normal", it concluded. – Emirates News Agency, WAM