Ash effect hits tourists in Goa 1,250 Europeans stranded

VASO, APRIL 19
Hundreds of international holidaymakers have been stranded in the State, with the cancellation of flights at Dabolim airport due to volcanic ash in the skies of Europe.
About 1,250 passengers mostly from Europe were stranded in various parts of the State due to cancellation of five incoming flights from their respective destinations, while an equal number of passengers could not arrive in the State due to these cancelled flights, which has affected the hospitality industry.
The First Choice charter flight from Midland-UK that arrived on Thursday has been grounded at Dabolim airport since the past five days and its departure to UK will depend on favourable climatic conditions in Europe.
Uncertainty also prevails over the Thomas Cook airlines scheduled for Tuesday and if it is cancelled, 322 passengers will be deprived of arriving in the State.
“The Thomas Cook flight from Greece is carrying 322 passengers and is scheduled for tomorrow. We are hoping for the best,” said airport manager A K Das of Freedom Holiday.
“If the flight is cancelled, passengers scheduled to board this aircraft at Dabolim airport would be given suitable accommodation as per their package,” Das added.
Incidentally, the cancellation of the flights has taken place at the fag end of the charter tourism season in the State, as charter flights will come to an end for the season after May 10.
“Only a few flights from Russia and Europe are scheduled for this season and the main affected ones are those passengers who had already arrived in the State and were to return to their respective destinations. They will now be forced to wait for some more time till the skies in Europe permit resumption of flights,” said sources at Dabolim airport.
“We are in constant touch with the Bureau of Aviation Control in Europe to assess the situation”, an official told Herald.