Volcano crisis cost Newcastle Airport £1m
30.04.10
The ash cloud crisis cost Newcastle Airport around £1m. Its chief executive, David Laws, told the Journal the problems caused by the Icelandic volcano eruption were the worst he has experienced in his three decades with the business.
Mr Laws told the newspaper: ‘It is fair to say that in the 32 years I have been here, I have never seen the airport brought to its knees, for want of a better phrase, in the way that it was. I was here for 9/11 and that was difficult but we still operated throughout the period, but with this one it was a case of everything being brought to a complete standstill.'
‘We had to deal with the challenge, in terms of our customers and making sure they were catered for and looked after to the best of our abilities. But their contract is with the airlines, rather than with us. However, I made a decision early on that anyone who had left their car here would be let out without any extra charge, so that they didn’t come home to a huge extra expense for airport parking.’
Newcastle Airport was affected for six-and-a-half days during the ash cloud crisis, which saw 780 flights cancelled and caused problems for more than 75,000 people. Mr Laws added: ‘It has been publicised that it was costing us £100,000 a day I but believe that by the time all the flights were back up and running, it cost us the thick end of £1m.’
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