In March 2011, the UK’s Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) decided that the 2010 ash clouds that hovered over Europe from an Icelandic volcano, causing weeks of travel disruption, constituted a weather event. Some travel insurers disagreed, and Europ Assistance asked for a judicial review of this decision. In February, the High Court refused the company’s request. Here, Daniel Scognamiglio and Chris Deacon of Blake Lapthorn examine the judicial review process and look at the latest EU Opinion on airlines’ duty of care to passengers caught up in situations such as that posed by the ash clouds