Wait is over for families reunited after cancelled flights

Apr 22 2010 by Kerry Wood, The Journal

MORE international flights landed in the North East yesterday to the relief of crowds of concerned families eager to be reunited with their loved ones.

Passengers on the Emirates flight from Dubai finally made it home yesterday to the delight of those who had packed into Newcastle Airport’s arrivals lounge yesterday morning.

Free from the limbo of not knowing when they’d be back, the weary travellers received a relieved welcome from their families.

They were among the thousands of holidaymakers caught up in travel chaos caused when an ash cloud from a volcanic eruption Iceland grounded all flights in UK airspace last Thursday.

With restrictions eased on Tuesday night by the Civil Aviation Authority, airlines were quick to act and clear the backlog of stranded passengers. For Joanne Malton it was the news she’d been anxiously waiting for as she rushed to the airport yesterday with son Adam, four, to be among the first waiting for planes to land.

Her daughters Jessica, 13 and Katherine, 11, had been away since April 2 travelling to Dubai to visit their dad.

Joanne, 39, from Stockton, said: “I was devastated when I heard their flights were being cancelled. People have said I should take comfort in them being with their dad but it is so difficult to be away for your children for this length of time.

“The problem has been just not knowing when I’d see them next. This is the longest we’ve ever been apart from each other.”