Now that the dust has settled...and aircraft seem to be ruling the skies again, the cost of the volcano eruption is being counted. The economic impact of the natural disaster is discussed in this article, including the winners and losers in tourism; the direct impact on tourism is considered here.

The Economist gives its view and believe we should be better prepared for natural disasters and also asks whether our flight is absolutely necessary? As passengers agonised on how to get back home, cruise ships have been busy as they step in to help. Ironically, as most of the airports around Europe resume flights, Iceland shut down flights for the first time last Friday, due to winds dropping and the ash cloud becoming static above the island.

The question of how much responsibility airlines have towards passengers in such a situation, has been asked here and there is also a guide on how to protect your holiday through tour operators.

Were Ryannair right to back down on paying reasonable expenses for their stranded passengers? Take a vote in the poll on the right...

See the funny side...