Flights chaos no problem for Scots freelancer

OONE of Scotland’s foremost technology writers is among various Scottish journalists to find himself stranded abroad, unable to get home because of the flights chaos caused by ash from the Iceland volcano, Eyjafjallajokull.

Freelancer, Bill Magee, who writes for Scotland on Sunday and does a syndicated technology column for among others, IOD Scotland and Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, is stuck in Qatar, awaiting a resumption of flights into the UK.

He had been due to return to Scotland on Saturday, after spending around a fortnight on holiday. But now, the earliest return date he has been told is a week today. However, says Bill, he has not allowed the enforced stay go to waste.

He takes up the tale: “Being a freelance business technology writer hack, of course there’s is always a writing element associated with any trip. So, I’ve also been checking out local commercial opportunities for bright Scots enterprises that might also convert into a good story.

“I’ve found one – Inoapps, a young Aberdeen technology specialist, is leading a new wave of Scots IT firms servicing a declining global oil and gas sector and looking to the Middle East for a stream of lucrative deals.”

So, SoS readers can confidently expect normal service to continue.

Any other hacks stranded? Radio broadcaster, Colin Somerville, in Tenerife…. Anyone else?