For fear of tempting fate I think it’s safe to say very quietly that the ash cloud has now passed. Normal service has now resumed and enquiry levels are at happy levels.

Pass it on…

Unless you’ve had your head under a rock you will have noticed that we’re having another ash cloud crisis. Bizarrely it’s just about the same time as last year although volcanologists assure me that these things have no seasonality.

Enquiry conversion rates have already taken a hit in the last 36 hours with travellers unsurprisingly apprehensive about committing to holiday plans until the situation resolves itself.

2011 has so far been pretty anemic; traffic has been up but conversions have been down – holidaymakers are proving harder to sell to. The post-recession tough times are still with us but we were quietly pleased that we’ve avoided any strikes or economic crashes so far this year. We’re just praying the ash cloud passes just as quickly and keeps the year on track.

What can owners do?

Sit tight. If you find enquiries are slow there’s not a huge amount you can do right now. Some enterprising owners did offer ash cloud money back guarantees last year which proved helpful. We wouldn’t suggest trying this until it becomes clearer whether this latest cloud will cause a prolonged period of flight disruption – but it is food for thought.

What can holidaymakers do?

Get properly insured! The insurance industry came in for massive criticism last year when they failed to pay up for cancelled flights and holidays. The lesson for travellers was very clear: you get what you pay for. Ensure you take out comprehensive travel insurance and ensure this kind of disruption is fully covered. Remember to get cover for both flights and accommodation costs.

In the meantime we’ll stay posted on developments.