A HADDENHAM couple caught in the travel chaos caused by the Icelandic volcano eruptions have been told they may have to wait three weeks before a flight becomes available for them. Sue and Andy Barltrop have already been on the Spanish island of Majorca f

A HADDENHAM couple caught in the travel chaos caused by the Icelandic volcano eruptions have been told they may have to wait three weeks before a flight becomes available for them.

Sue and Andy Barltrop have already been on the Spanish island of Majorca for seven days more than they had intended but were gobsmacked when told by their travel agents that they could face another three weeks on the island.

Speaking to the Ely Standard from a hotel in Majorca, Sue said: "We are having to play it by ear at the moment but our reps have told us that it could be three weeks before a flight becomes available to take us home. They are also talking about getting everybody in the hotel together and transporting us to Barcelona,

"We have been okay up until now but if this carries on into next week things may start to get a bit much for us, we just want to get home now."

The Eyjafjallaj�kull volcano in Iceland has been erupting for more than a week causing a ubiquitous plume of ash to spread over large swathes of Europe.

Thousands of holidaymakers who escaped for Easter have been left stranded abroad as a result of the eruption which is believed to be costing the airline industry millions every day.

Mrs Barltrop is grateful, however, that because the couple booked a package holiday, they are being looked after by their tour operator, something many passengers are finding is not the case,

"I have to say the hotel and our reps with Thomas Cook have been fantastic and really looked after us. Some people here in the hotel who didn't book a package are having to fork out �100 a day for food and accommodation and there is no guarantee they will be leaving any time soon.

"And because it is not officially the start of the holiday season until May 1 a lot of hotels are not open yet and people are having difficulty finding a place to stay."

Meanwhile, the chief executive of Cambridgeshire County Council, Mark Lloyd has fund himself stuck in the American state of Massachusetts. He was due to fly home to Cambridgeshire on Friday (April 16) from Boston. But his airline has now rescheduled the flight for next Saturday (April 24).

Speaking via e-mail to the Ely Standard, Mr Lloyd said: "The biggest problem has been getting a new hotel room because of demand caused by Boston's marathon and public holiday. There's a strange symmetry to my life because the new hotel is in Cambridge - unfortunately the one in Massachusetts.

"I've secured another flight for Wednesday with a different airline but that's looking increasingly doubtful.