A safe landing
However, this should not be interpreted as a blank cheque. Far from it. Most stranded passengers will be covered by travel insurance – and it will be their insurers, rather than the airline, who pick up the bill for the extra hotel costs that were incurred as a result of the "safety first" approach.
If the EU wishes to be helpful, it perhaps needs to instigate a review of the safety rules governing the closure of airspace to avoid a repeat of the confusion earlier this month – and offer some clarity on the rights of consumers after Michael O'Leary, the boss of Ryanair, tried and failed to circumvent existing procedures.