The volcanic ash chaos a decade ago was just a warm-up for the coronavirus travel shutdown

I have had to adapt swiftly to a new professional life as non-travel correspondent since the near-complete closedown of the entire tourist industry, writes Simon Calder

Heathrow airport is empty after the coronavirus brought the travel industry to a grinding halt (PA)

Travel, as you know, is all about encounters. On Good Friday I was glad to make the acquaintance of Linda, Paul and Annie. Sadly, though, not in person.

Linda, in Buckinghamshire, asked me about her rights after a family Easter trip to a property in Norfolk was scuppered by the coronavirus lockdown (I said the arrangement was a “frustrated contract” and she should be able to secure a refund).

Paul is in Auckland, and contacted The Independent about whether he had a hope of transiting Singapore between New Zealand and the UK (not before early May, I told him).