The airlines did the right thing by grounding their aircraft due to safety. Those who had bought properly priced tickets with reputable Airlines were most likely looked after, those who paid Sweet F*** All for their ticket and expected to have everything thrown in anyway got SFA, funny thing that!!
The airlines had no choice. Airspace was closed.
As it happens, I, along with tens of thousands of others, was stranded in London at the time. I happened to be doing some work for an airline. They looked after me magnificently, offering to extend my contract until I could leave, and putting me up at their expense in a world class London hotel.
I had a flight out on EZY, which was cancelled. When airspace opened, I booked first available to my destination, on another carrier. I got a full refund of my ticket from EZY, plus my out of pocket accommodation expenses until they were picked up by the other airline.
I realise that had I been flying on Ryanair I would be telling a very different story. That's why I won't fly Ryanair.