HOLIDAYMAKERS may be suffering but many businesses are booming because of the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud that grounded planes for six days last week.

The UK flight ban was yesterday (Wednesday) lifted and all UK airports were operational again.

Stena Line said it carried an extra 5,000 passengers from its Holyhead port to Ireland on Saturday and LD Lines have experienced a 50% increase in both car and foot passengers. Irish Ferries have also seen record breaking numbers and “increased phone calls and website hits” as stranded air passengers scrambled to rearrange travel.

While local firms are having a mixed time during the disaster, many people had a difficult time waiting for the flight ban to be lifted.

Among them was Florida-bound Richard Birch, 44, from Groeslon, a photographer for the Herald’s sister paper, the Mail.

Richard’s family were off to Disneyworld last Thursday but he has since been forced to completely cancel the holiday and try to get their money back.

Richard said: “My wife and I understand why they’ve done this but it’s not easy trying to tell a six-year-old – who can see bright blue skies out of the window – that he can’t go on holiday to Disneyworld.

“We’ve decided to completely cancel everything and try to get our money back.

“I guess we’re lucky in a way because we could have got out there and been completely stranded.

“I feel so sorry for those people who are stuck abroad and can’t get home.”

Many North Wales taxi firms are also benefiting. Drivers may not be journeying to and from Manchester or Liverpool airports but there has been more demand for transport on Anglesey, according to Adele Jones, of Camel Cabs in Holyhead.

She said: “We’re doing very well and making a lot of trips to Bradford, London, Liverpool and Manchester. People are not flying but there are a lot using the ferries and going to places within the UK, so we’re very busy.”

But one Denbighshire cab company said the lack of airport transfers is costing businesses like his “thousands of pounds”.