The eruption of mount EyjafjallajÖkull earlier this month was a shock to everyone and the subsequent ash cloud over the UK and much of Europe caused air travel chaos. I’m sure most people knew someone affected by the chaos it caused with crazy stories of people spending thousands of pounds to get home and taking days to make a journey that should have taken four hours. However the most amazing thing to happen during the chaos across Europe was people coming together and helping each other out. How they did this was even more amazing.
Facebook groups were set up such as Carpool Europe and When Volcanoes Erupt to coordinate stranded travellers giving them up to the minute updates on opportunities to share cars, public transport options and even places to stay. Many other users of Facebook used the networking site to ask friends for help with messages like “Stuck in Barcelona does anyone have friends here that can put me up” and “Got the ferry from Santander no problem if anyone knows people who are stuck in Spain”.
Once again though Twitter proved to be the best way to get on the move giving minute by minute updates from not only your friends or members of a group you have joined but from the whole twitter community. By following the hashtags (or ashtags as they became known in this situation) “#getmehome” users were able to catch lifts from willing drivers including one of the Dragons Den stars Duncan Bannatyne who tweeted things like “OK we can take 4 on the 3.40 ferry” and “The Ferries from Calais ARE accepting foot passengers “. Others who were not making their way home were able to find places to stay by searching twitter for “#putmeup” and they would find tweets which would hopefully help them such as “concertbuzzer: Any Brits stranded in South Florida. Have room in house Lauderdale. 2 max. #putmeup “ and “bodaceacat: #ashtag #putmeup #offer beds near Gatwick. DM me”.
Once the airspace had been closed for a day or two some really good websites were made or adapted to help all those stranded abroad. However for instant help Twitter defiantly led the way as long as the users knew how to access the information using hashtags and the search function.
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