Ash Visas

The volcanic ash has grounded flights and stranded an estimated 5 million people around the world. While not much can be done to open the air space when the ash is over head, but the way airports, airlines and governments handle things on the ground shows just how intelligent, well-prepared and concerned they truly are.

I have read and seen many stories from around the world that all have one thing in common - visas. People who were flying to a country where they had the required documents and then were diverted to another country where they didn't have the documents and are thus stranded in no-man's land at the airports because the Immigration officials refuse to allow them into the country. This is happening around the world (in the US, the UK, India, the Schengen, etc.)

The US Department of State says that people who have visas and can't leave the United States before their visas expire can get an extension as can those on the Visa Waiver Program. It does not address those people that were not planning to fly to the US, but landed there when their plane was diverted and they are from a country that requires a visa. That is just one example, but there are many more from around the world.

I think that when a disaster (either man-made or natural)grounds air travel governments need to be flexible and start thinking about the ordinary people that are being stranded (sometimes in a foreign country.) I don't see why they can't have an official stay with a large group of people and let those people stay at a near-by hotel or why they can't just relax their visa requirements for a short period (Russia and Belarus did over the volcanic ash.) I understand governments want to keep their own citizens safe, but sometimes things happen that you can't control and you just need to adjust how you act and work. I know that if I was stranded in another country I would want to be treated like a person.