Kilkenny MEP Liam Aylward criticised airlines for their reaction to the ash cloud crisis in recent times.
Speaking in the European Parliament in Strasbourg this week, Mr Aylward said that airlines should make more of an effort to inform their passengers of what is going on.
“By that I don’t mean blanket statements on their websites,” he said. “Lots of people do not have access to the internet, especially when they are in transit. Airlines must provide customers with a telephone number, adequately manned to give them up to date information. The present system is unacceptable.”
Aylward also welcomed more cooperation on a European level between aviation authorities to ensure safety and find solutions for the future.
“I welcome the announcement by the Irish and British aviation authorities, together with their European counterpart, that they are working with each other and with aeroplane manufacturers to tackle this problem in order to dramatically improve things in the future. This level of cooperation is how it should be. This ash cloud is not just going to disappear so we have to be prepared to work around it,” he concluded.
