April 2010 UK Airspace closure: Experience and impact on the UK’s air-travelling public and implications for future travel

Ash emitted from the Eyjafjallajökull Icelandic volcano resulted in the closure UK’s airspace in 2010. This research highlights passengers experience throughout the crisis and it is impacted on their wellbeing. Analysis of a survey shows that just 90% of respondents highlighted the failure of airline, travel agencies and/or government to provide timely and appropriate information. The airspace closure also caused adverse health impacts, with 79% of respondents highlighting this as a concern. Although passengers were greatly inconvenienced and had a negative experience, seventy-nine percent of respondents indicated that the crisis had little or no impact on their decision to fly in the future.

► Generally, air passengers had a negative experience during the April 2010 airspace closure.
► 90% of respondents indicated service providers failed to provide timely and appropriate information.
► Generally, the airspace had an adverse impact on passengers; health, work and finances. 
► Passengers' loss confidence in the airline sector but 79% of respondents would still fly in the future.
► Airline companies need to develop better contingency plans to deal with future crises.