Back to normal

Palma airport is almost back to normal after a weekend of total mayhem and chaos caused by the coach strike. The strike, which began last Thursday at midnight, managed to hold up thousands of tourists both in the Balearics and all over Britain who were looking forward to their holiday breaks. Many people trying to return home after spending time on the Island here were held up going the other way, sleeping in the airport for up to 23 hours. Yesterday, the airport was trying to decrease the backlog which has been caused by the strikers. The delays had mounted up on Sunday afternoon until almost every flight out of Majorca was held over. The situation in Britain was not much better, with massive delays and cancellations in all major airports. Airport officials commented that they handled almost 500 flights and 73'000 passengers in the 24 hours after the strike, just to get the flight schedules back in order. At the airport yesterday there were many disgruntled tourists who now have no idea when they will be getting home - the last, and almost forgotten, casualties of the chaotic weekend. “We've got no idea when we'll be getting home” said Kelly McLaughlin from Belfast. “We were waiting in the hotel lobby yesterday for twelve hours on standby, and we've been here all morning. The tour operator has given us no information apart from that we have to wait. We've had no food or drink and our actual scheduled flight was due to leave yesterday morning.” Although most of the airport is now working well and most passengers have been transported home, these few who are left behind are a grim reminder that the tour companies and the airport were not totally on top of the situation this weekend. “I'm supposed to be at work and he's supposed to be in school” said Wilma Green from Manchester, pointing at her three-year-old son asleep on the seat next to her.