Passengers stranded in NYC because of volcanic ash over Europe say lives are disrupted

Stuck in NY, life disrupted by volcanic ash event

NEW YORK — One man won’t make it to his best friend’s wedding, a woman is likely to miss the first day of her new job and an author may not get an opportunity to promote her latest novel at a London book fair.

Like so many other people from England stranded in New York City, their lives have been disrupted because of the volcanic airborne event halting air traffic over Europe. They were all waiting Friday to hear when they’ll be able to go home.

Jackie Reeves

Jackie Reeves was hoping to get back to her native England in time to start her new job.

“I don’t know when we’ll be able to get back,” said the 48-year-old from Ipswich, about 70 miles outside of London, as she stood in the lobby of a hotel near John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Reeves listed the ways her life was left pending: The dog waiting to be picked up at the kennel, the children off on holiday with their father but expected to return to England to be with her and, of course, the new job.

A government worker who was recently promoted to help coordinate the construction of schools, Reeves said she planned to e-mail her new bosses, though it was unclear when she could return. Her job was supposed to start Monday.

“There are all these flights being canceled,” Reeves said. “I was supposed to go yesterday.”

She said her airline, British Airways, left a note under her door explaining that she and a friend, who were vacationing together, had been booked for another night at the International JFK Airport Hotel.

She said she had called the phone number listed on the note at midnight and was told by a voice message that the wait time was 358 minutes.

“I have a couple of big meetings for the new job on Tuesday,” she said. “If I’m not back for those, that would be difficult.”

Ashley Hodge

Ashley Hodge would be bored out of his mind if he didn’t have his laptop computer, but that was the least of his worries as he sat in the lobby of a New York hotel wondering when he would be able to get on a flight back to England.

“I’m missing my best friend’s wedding. It’s Saturday at 1 p.m. I’m supposed to be an usher. That’s the main thing I’m stressed about,” said the 31-year-old graphic designer for British fashion retailer Topshop, sitting with two co-workers.

“I bought a suit and everything. I was going to have my shoes shined at the airport in preparation,” he continued.

He said he had spoken to the organizers of the wedding and that they were “quite frustrated” with him.

“One volcano has screwed up everything,” he said.

Rayner Tapia

Rayner Tapia describes herself as the author of fantasy fiction, but there was nothing unreal about how a volcano eruption hundreds of miles away had spoiled her plans to promote her latest novel.

She was in the U.S. with her husband and three boys — ages 5, 10 and 14 — for vacation and to sign books in New York but had hoped to get back to England in time to promote a self-published novel at the London Book Fair, which begins Monday.

“That’s when the book is launched officially,” she said. She also needed to prepare for a scheduled book signing on April 24. “I need to do posters, banners, make sure my props are ready. I have people dressing up like characters.”

There were also other matters disrupted by the extraordinary event: her 14-year-old son was expected to take exams Monday that will determine which career path he will take and her husband has a company to run. “It’s a nightmare. It’s unreal,” she said.

Organizers of the London Book Fair say the three-day gathering will proceed, even though some book publishers won’t be attending because of shut down airports throughout Europe.

Michelle Cyna

Michelle Cyna had plans to attend a performance in English of Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” in Paris, with her two daughters.

If she doesn’t make it by Saturday’s performance, she said her son will take her seat. He’s stuck in Paris, also because of the volcano eruption, unable to travel on his Spain vacation.

“I have never experienced something like this,” said Cyna, an world-traveler and French engineer who was in the U.S. negotiating her company’s work on American transportation systems. “Usually, you get stuck because of weather — but a volcano, no! It’s the first time.”

She said she was staying in a Manhattan hotel paid for by her French-based global company, Veolia Transport. She said she may even have to cancel work plans for Monday if flights are not cleared.

Associated Press writers Cristian Salazar and Verena Dobnik in New York city contributed to this report.