​Blankets on the ground was a reality for air passengers this week

My maths never improved so later in life I was fortunate to marry someone who was a genius at it.

To this day I still need his help if it’s anything to do with counting. Booking flights? I’m hopeless at that. So it was interesting this week to read of the `rogue flight plan’ that led to thousands of flight cancellations leaving passengers having to sleep on the floors of various airports.

I can’t imagine what that was like since I do like my comforts. Even as a child I wasn’t big into sleeping in tents in summer.

So who was to blame for the disaster in which more than 1,500 flights just didn’t take off when they should have?

The Brits wanted to blame the French. Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary blamed something called The National Air Traffic Service declaring it `unacceptable’. Good old Michael with an opinion on everything.

One piece of `corrupt data’ from one airline it was alleged was to blame. I suppose corrupt data creates itself, I mean it’s not likely to be produced by a human being. At least that’s what big

businesses like to tell us. No one in their ranks can possible get something so seriously wrong. Now could they? And what’s the point in the ordinary passenger complaining anyway. Those unfortunate travellers were dealing with those who like to think they never get it wrong. It’s unlikely they will send letters of apology to the unfortunates they left to sleep on floors and benches.

Parents with babies and children must have been at the end of their tether during the disaster.

Maybe all those unfortunate travellers, some from Northern Ireland, will get their money back with compensation. I wouldn’t bet on it. The greater the disaster the more the ordinary people are forgotten. Large companies hate to have to pay up for anything and airlines are notorious for it. How many people is it likely to put off travelling by plane ever again? I think I would have been top of the list, preferring a fortnight in Portrush for ever after.

Airline staff, exhausted travellers told one national newspaper, `showed no compassion’. One wonders the affect this will have on the tourist business throughout Europe and beyond. How did

one piece of `corrupt data create such havoc and could it happen again?

What are our choices should we decide to continue with air travel in future? We are in planes at least twice a year - it’s the only quick way we can get to see our grandchildren for example. Driving there would involve ferries, thereafter driving for hours on end.

It’s times like this I envy the Royals and their travel arrangements. Nothing is spared I believe and the planes wait for them. We commoners do what we’re told once we get to an airport.

Yes, this week’s episode is quite likely to put me off flying forever even it means taking ferries to see my little ones. But what about stormy weather at sea? Now I think I would be following the weather forecast for days before….