Grounded: Impacts of and Insights from the Volcanic Ash Cloud Disruption

Abstract

This paper presents the preliminary findings of a survey of over 500 people whose travel was affected. Stranded passengers used various support networks and means of contact. While travel providers were most likely to be able to help, they were less contactable and willing to help than family, friends and employers causing the impacts to ripple through ‘home’ networks. The findings demonstrate how flying maintains dispersed networks but has ‘created distance’ by raising expectations and eroding other travel services. The disruption illustrated the vulnerability of systems of aviation, their importance to many people’s lives and the challenge to improving sustainability.