The Commons Transport Select Committee has issued its report on last year's snow chaos that shut Heathrow airport and disabled significant parts of the rail network.
Many roads including motorways were badly affected and it is reported that £280 million was lost to the UK economy each day.
For some time now question marks have been placed against airports and their Business Continuity and resilience capability. In the past year alone we have seen at close hand the global chaos caused by the volcanic ash cloud, while more recently we witnessed some of Europe’s leading airports struggle to maintain operational readiness during periods of heavy snowfall.
If we go back a little further there are other striking examples, all of which add to the pervading view that airports cannot cope effectively when placed under duress and that their Business Continuity need to be improved.
Several cargo planes were grounded at separate US airports after suspicious packages were found on board planes in London and Dubai. Security has been stepped up at UK airports for flights to the US following the incident.
The Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajoekull erupted on the 14th April hurling a plume of ash high into the atmosphere and grounding flights affecting nearly seven million travellers.
Within hours of the decision to ground planes businesses started to count the cost with peoples travel plans collapsing and many becoming effectively stranded. The impact of the volcanic eruption is already being estimated as costing airlines £130million per day, although rail, ferry and some hotel operators are reporting massive increases in business as alternative arrangements are sought.
The Commons Transport Select Committee has issued its report on last year's snow chaos that shut Heathrow airport and disabled significant parts of the rail network. 
