Adding Up the Costs of Lost Travel in Europe

This is the VOA Special English Economics Report, from voaspecialenglish.com | http Air traffic over much of Europe came to a halt for six days in April because of the huge cloud of ash from a volcano in Iceland. The economic costs added up as airlines flew everyone to where they were trying to go. At its worst, the crisis affected nearly a third of world air travel. About one hundred thousand flights were cancelled or delayed. The International Air Transport Association estimated the cost to airlines at nearly two billion dollars. But that does not include costs like the tons of flowers that growers in Kenya and Israel had to destroy. Or all the fruits and vegetables that could also not be flown to Europe. Other businesses that depend on air travel, including hotels and vacation places, also suffered. The crisis affected airports from Washington to Pakistan. The crisis came just as Europe is trying to recover from its worst recession in generations. Greece — a popular travel place — continues to face a debt crisis that has sharply raised its borrowing costs. The United States halted air travel for three days after the terrorist attacks in two thousand one. The travel ban in April lasted twice as long in some European countries. Critics accused European air transport officials of being slow to react, then overreacting to the possible risk to airplanes. The volcano eruption cost time and money for travelers. Hundreds of thousands were stuck. Some had no place to stay …