<p>I can’t help but wonder what kind of financial stress that all of these stranded people are experiencing all around the world while they wait in airports far from home. I am happy that I could help in some small way and wish I could do more…no one seems to know when air travel will resume…if it was me, I would worry about my kids, home, pets, work and all of the other day to day responsiblities that cannot be tended to because of this unexpected world event…</p>
<p>lje62, you are a kind person and you give all of us Americans a good name! Thanks so much for helping out! I haven’t heard anything on the news about large numbers of travelers being stranded at Logan, if I had I’d have hoped the nearby folks would have brought sandwiches and other niceties like toiletries, etc. (I live an hour away, but I might have brought something myself!) I remember how the people of Nova Scotia helped out all the folks stranded there on 9/11.</p>
<p>And Illinoismom2006, here’s some good news:
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<p>
Croatia is gorgeous. Look at these waterfalls: [Plitvice</a> Waterfalls : Plitvicka Jezera, Croatia](<a href=“http://www.widerange.org/photo/plitvice-waterfalls-croatia/]Plitvice”>Plitvice Waterfalls | Plitvicka Jezera, Croatia | Mountain Photography by Jack Brauer)</p>
<p>Amusingly I think the eruption helped us. Flights to and from Chicago left on time and arrived early!</p>
<p>Lafalum, that is good news. Thanks! Yesterday, I was actually thinking of copying your backup plan. : )</p>
<p>…my really annoying co-worker from returning to the office! :)</p>
<p>News now is saying that flights have begun again, and may be back to normal by Thursday. H is due home on Friday, so I’m hoping the reports are correct.</p>
<p>Much depends on the weather and volcano, neither of which are subject to anyone’s whims. Hope your H is able to get back as planned/hoped. Hubby’s co-worker is having an extended stay in Switzerland, since they can’t get out. She’s grateful they have a hotel & so far CC is still working. ;)</p>
<p>I have a lot of friends over in the UK from a semester abroad, and a lot are stuck in continental Europe as the chunnel and ferries are filled to capacity for the most part. My friends’ term at uni starts this week and a lot of them won’t make it.</p>
<p>I don’t know why we didn’t think of it earlier!!! We could throw a virgin in the volcano. Does anyone know one?</p>
<p>EPTR, I think Meg Ryan had that role a jillion years ago…</p>
<p>Things seem to be easing up, so there’s hope for all those far from home. One of my friends works at a major airport hotel here and has been doing overtime with the place jam-packed.
Lafalum, I thought of that too, but just showing up with sandwiches, cookies, diapers, etc outside of security unfortunately probably isn’t going to help most international travellers. They are probably staying inside the security zone unless they have reservations at a hotel somewhere.</p>
<p>There is a second ash cloud heading for the UK, and the news is saying that geologists are worried this small eruption could set off a much bigger volcano (Katla). It’s certainly not over yet.</p>
<p>Have heard that there are some folks who can’t leave the airport because they were routed to alternate airports and don’t even have visas for the city/nation they’re in! They had to set aside some space on the tarmac so they can get “outside” of the airport for a bit as they’re not allowed to leave the airport AT ALL!</p>
<p>Hubby’s co-worker is still stranded in Switzerland, with her husband, credit card and so far, a roof over their heads. She’s hoping her credit limit is high enough to sustain them and doesn’t know when she can return (was supposed to come home the 1st day skies were closed). She’s starting to wonder about land routes to somewhere she can catch a flight back but no one knows what she’s been able to find so far.</p>
<p>There are a lot of people not only stranded at airports , but out of money . I read about a woman in the Chicago area that has taken a UK family back to her home and help them out until they can travel safely.
I would think that there might be more people willing to either open their homes or offer some assistance.
I would , but something tells me my stressed husband would not be so willing ;)</p>
<p>I just heard of someone stranded in Europe on a business trip that likely won’t make it back in time for his son’s Bar Mitzvah. :(</p>
<p>D & H made it out of London to Paris and fortunately booked the slow train to Madrid where they have confirmed seats for a Thursday flight back home. Not too much trouble getting them from London to Paris, but a full day of stress getting them to Madrid. I’ve been lucky getting them reasonable hotels and at least they get one day together to see a bit of Paris before tomorrow’s 13-hour marathon train ride across France and Spain.</p>
<p>My D says the Europeans look after their own and have not been at all nice or helpful to Americans. I’m glad to see the kindness of American’s as exhibited in the above posts though. You also see airports like JFK going out of their way to try to help stranded travelers, whereas in the UK, they just close the airport and set you out there on your own (mind you with greatly inflated hotel, car, bus rates!)</p>
<p>My biggest disappointment in all of this is our own government. European governments enlisted naval ships, buses, etc. to get their citizens back home. The only response from our press secretary when asked about it yesterday at the press conference was that there were too many Americans stranded to bother with. Maybe it is a logistical challenge, but since when do we Americans not take on a tough challenge!</p>
<p>One of my Daughter’s is in London and I believe her classes end next Thursday…as you can imagine I am watching this closely…she met a boy who lives in Milan…maybe an extended stay would be the perfect opportunity for her to go over and get to know him better…geesh…did I really say that? … LOL…my kids need to marry someone over here so I can see the grandkids as they grow up 
Hoping the ash clears so I can get her back on this side of the pond…</p>
<p>Iceland eruption derailed my Tenth High School Reunion.</p>
<p>One of our classmates got married in Italy on the tenth. A good chunk of the people who were planning on coming to the reunion are now stuck in Italy. Doesn’t seem likely that they’ll make it back to Dallas by Friday.</p>
<p>The US does have a base in Germany. One would think the US COULD do something to help with the situation, but who knows what? Sounds like things are pretty tough for everyone. Sad to hear that the hotel rates are greatly inflated–maybe they’re trying to earn what they can because they’re not sure the ongoing volcano may affect future holiday plans & occupancy. Have read about fresh food rotting in the docks because it can’t be shipped to Europe.</p>
<p>Just saw on CNN that British airspace will reopen at 10 PM local time (5 PM ET). That is good news. Now to clear the back log of passengers!</p>
<p>I just had a Skype chat with a good friend who is based in Amsterdam who was attending the big furniture expo in Milan. She did saw this chaos coming last week and went ahead and rented a car with the option to drop off in Amsterdam. Nothing like a leisurely trip over the alps and through the French country side to take the edge of off a disaster.</p>