Ski watch: Season proves to be a black run

So winter is over, and another ski season is drawing to a close. Up to 45,000 Irish people took ski holidays this winter – an increase on previous years – but for tour operators, 2014/2015 proved to be stressful at times.

Promising pre-season conditions had skiers hoping for a bumper winter, but early optimism turned to worry as December came and went without any new snow, at least until the end of that month. When snow did arrive, it brought with it travel chaos, particularly in France, where 15,000 holidaymakers were stranded overnight trying to get in and out of Chambery airport, which serves a host of big-name resorts in the Savoie region.

Conditions ...