Hundreds of passengers had their travel plans disrupted after airspace was closed due to volcanic ash drifting from Iceland.
Among those caught up in the delay at George Best Belfast City Airport was Deborah Spick from Killyleagh.
The teacher, who commutes from Northern Ireland to Birmingham for her job, was meant to be on the 8.35am flight to Birmingham but had to re-book on a later flight.
“When I left for the airport this morning I was aware my flight had been cancelled because of the plume of smoke, but the weather can change in a minute,” she said.
“I decided to come here because I needed to get booked on another flight. I did not want to leave it to the last minute.
“I am booked on the 2.15pm flight now.”
Raymond English from the Isle of Man had been visiting family in Northern Ireland over the long weekend and was originally told that his 10am Manx 2 flight was still operating because the airline flies at very low altitudes.
However, when the 46-year-old, who left the province more than 20 years ago, arrived he discovered it had been pushed back until 1pm.
“I was worried that I might be stuck here for a while but at the end of the day there is nothing you can do about it,” he said.
For Dorcas Russell, the delay in Belfast was a tiny blip in what has otherwise been a wonderful birthday break in the province.
The 70-year-old, who is originally from Bangor but now lives on the outskirts of London, was back home visiting family and friends as part of her 70th birthday celebrations. Her daughter Juliet, who helped organise the trip, explained the pair were concerned there could be a repeat of the aviation crisis that lead to travel chaos around the world but were hopeful things would return to normal sooner rather than later.”
A spokesman for the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) said there were not significant numbers coming to Dublin Airport yesterday morning which meant a build-up of people around the terminal building was avoided.
While passengers were frustrated, she said they realised the restrictions were for their own safety.
