The volcanic ash that spread over Europe had an unexpected side effect: it bared the true attitudes towards Ukrainian tourists in Western Europe, normally hidden under generic formality.
I had first-hand experience with this volcanic ash crisis during my intercontinental flight between the United States and Ukraine, and finally understood the problem of having the “wrong” passport. I arrived in Paris too late to make my connecting flight to Kyiv, due to a detour the plane took to avoid the ash cloud.
Air France told me that my only choice was to take a flight via Bucharest the next day. Since there is no hotel at the airport, I requested a transit visa so that I could rest and visit my friends in Paris. I was escorted to the transit zone where I deposited all of my documents to the French police to start the visa procedure.
Tired and hungry after a 10-hour flight, I managed to hunt down the local Air France representative to ask whether passengers like me could get some food as there was no food court in the transit area. The representative regretfully explained that they cannot provide me with food until I receive an answer from the police and leave the transit area — to either head for the city using the transit visa, or to the terminal in case the visa is denied.
After waiting for seven torturous hours, I stormed into the security office to inquire how much longer I would have to wait. I was met by a well-dressed man who wagged his finger at me and with a smile said: “You have to be patient.” I went back to my seat, only to discover that the same man followed me and was holding my passport. “Do not ask why, but your visa has been denied,” he said, and promptly left before I could ask why.
With horror, I realized that he had not returned any of my boarding passes, so I had to find the Air France desk to have them printed all over again. After being granted all of my tickets again and a free sandwich voucher, I proceeded to the promised food lounge.
The lounge turned out to be an ordinary gate with 10 sofas, all occupied. I arrived just in time to witness an argument between a passenger, who was also denied a transit visa, and airport staff. The fight was about the sandwiches: the food courts have never supplied them at such late hours. It had been nearly a full day since I last ate, so I joined the argument, only to be threatened by security that — if we do not behave — we could find the local police station more comfortable.
I have a medical condition that requires regular meals. If none are available, I need to take medicine. I requested the medication if no food was available, and instead got an offer of see a doctor. But an hour later, everyone left the gate, making me realize that the doctor was not coming. Upset and starving, I desperately thought about L’Alsace restaurant my friend had booked for us.
I couldn’t shake off the idea that the mistreatment I fell victim to was due to the contempt for people from Africa or Eastern Europe. Everyone denied transit visas came from these parts of the world.
Also the lack of coordination among Air France, the airport and the police was astounding, each of them pointing fingers at each other, making it impossible to figure out who is responsible. Those coming from non-European Union member states are treated as second-class world citizens. Mistreatment rarely results in consequences for the airport staff.
The West is proud of its cosmopolitan nature, but incidents like this hint at regression.
Cosmopolitanism is based on the recognition of equality of human beings and their rights. These misfortunes show that, even in the rights to get food and medical care, some people are more equal than others, to paraphrase George Orwell. The EU believes its unemployment problem will worsen because of illegal immigration from its eastern neighbors and former colonies. This fear means exclusion for those without an EU passport.
Any crisis shows a person’s true colors and same is true on a national and even a geopolitical level. The eruption of a volcano is not the biggest problem in the world, but the effect it’s having on some is pretty ugly.
Nikita Predtechensky is a student of Michigan State University in USA, majoring in Political and Social Sciences.
