A Blog by the Editor of The Middle East Journal

Putting Middle Eastern Events in Cultural and Historical Context

Monday, April 19, 2010

Eyjafjallajökull and the Middle East

The eruption of the volcano Eyjafjallajökull (pronounced, I assume, as if having a convulsive sneezing attack) has not just disrupted transatlantic traffic. Obviously, Middle Eastern traffic to Western Europe is also disrupted, and that's a key bit of Gulf business, not to mention that Europeans are a key to tourism in many Middle Eastern countries. Some of the damage: some 48 flights from Cairo and the Red Sea Port of Ghardaqa cancelled as of yesterday; many tourists stuck in Egypt; 15 flights a day out of Hariri International in Beirut canceled; a whole list of UAE flights cancelled yesterday (though there's the good news that Dubai will not fine tourists for overstaying their visas); Emirates Airlines has already lost $50 million; while Arab News says that Arab airlines as a whole were losing 50 million euros a day. (That seems a lot given overall losses have been reported as $200 million a day for all air carriers, but I suspect everyone is still guessing.)

They'll be talking about this for years, but they'll be saying "that volcano in Iceland," because I just don't think "
Eyjafjallajökull" is going to become a proverbial phrase, even for those of us who know an ‘ayn from a ghayn.

Correction. All morning I had it spelled
Eyjafjallajokull. It should have been Eyjafjallajökull. Sorry.

And for those who really want to know how it's pronounced, see here and here.

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