WERE further proof required of the absolute priority that must be given to work on the airport pavements it came this week in the surprising form of giant clouds of volcanic ash.

With even inter-island flights grounded at one point – frustratingly given their flight altitude – it once again reminded islanders how dependent they are on travel links.

At this rate, even an £80m. price tag seems money well spent.

Sports teams, businesses and individuals were all left stranded or delayed as ferries became the only option.

Interviews with a small selection of travellers threw up tales of marooned wedding guests, vital board meetings missed and once-in-a-lifetime holidays thrown into chaos. There will have been few islanders who, if not directly affected, did not know of someone delayed.

The latest closures follow hard on the heels of the ice-related closures in January and, of course, the airport firefighters’ dispute a year ago.

Both of those two will have done short-term damage to the island’s reputation and economy with the long-term political consequences of the end to the firefighters’ dispute still unclear until the £150,000 report is delivered.

The sense that the ‘strike’ should have been averted and, to a lesser degree, the ice problem mitigated by harmless chemicals leaves a lingering bad taste about those closures which does not so far exist with this week’s Icelandic explosion.

Nevertheless, the inability of authorities throughout Europe to do anything other than close airports when the dust strikes, carries a frustration of its own.

No one is certain how long this disruption will last and whether another series of eruptions next week, or next month, will bring similar chaos.

All that can be asked is that passengers are kept informed as early and as fully as possible and alternative arrangements are made as easily accessible as possible.

That airport staff are ready to work until midnight, if necessary, at least shows that the authorities know they must do what they can to alleviate passengers’ suffering.