Kiwi director among volcano chaos

DAVID STUBBS: 'Very quickly they were kind of over the experience and were in tears and wanted to go home.'

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Emmy Award-winning New Zealand director David Stubbs is one of the thousands of people stranded in Europe by Iceland's volcano.

Restrictions over European airspace caused by ash spewing out from the volcano beneath the Eyjafjallajokull glacier has stranded frustrated travellers in airports around the world.

Mr Stubbs was due to return from France two days ago following his success at the digital Emmy Awards in Cannes, having chosen to spend an extra two days in Paris.

After spending all day yesterday in "angry" queues, to speak with his airline and then to buy a train ticket, he said tempers were starting to fray.

One English couple had broken out of line at the airline's office and tried to break in to the shop. They had to be restrained by security guards, he said.

Other people were anxious.

An elderly New Zealand couple had booked a tour which had been cancelled after their guide was stuck in New Zealand. Mr Stubbs said they were now lost and uncomfortable being alone and didn't have the skills to use the internet.

"Very quickly they were kind of over the experience and were in tears and wanted to go home," he said.

"It's kind of hard on people like that."

Mr Stubbs said he understood it was a natural occurrence but he was frustrated with the service of his airline, which he refused to name.

It had not informed passengers of the problem, then had closed its office on Friday, remaining unavailable until 10am on Monday morning.

"For the whole weekend there was nothing we could do, there was nothing because the airline it was closed. It was shut and all the staff were having the weekend off."

He was pleased he had a laptop and iPhone to check for updates, as well as travel experience as people were largely being left to sort things out themselves.

"If I didn't have those I'd be a bit frightened, I'd imagine."

People were also unsure where the financial responsibility of the airline ended and that of the travel insurer began.

Tomorrow he plans to travel by train, which incidentally are affected by a drivers' strike, to Nice in the south of France, where weather and volcano permitting, he will catch a flight home via Dubai.

The KHF Media owner expects the entire trip to take around four days, providing conditions improve.

"I'm just hoping that it doesn't blow up again. If it blows up again Id have some serious problems because I have responsibilities (back home)."

He said he had people looking after his office at the moment but needed to get back.

"If I'm another week away that will have some serious financial implications, not only for me but people that work for me."

- © Fairfax NZ News