Updated
Stranded: Tens of thousands of passengers are stuck on the ground (ABC TV)
Some flights out of Melbourne, Tasmania and New Zealand will resume this morning after a volcanic ash cloud brought chaos to air travel across Victoria, Tasmania and New Zealand at the weekend.
Tens of thousands of travellers remain stranded after dozens of flights were cancelled because of the ash plume from the Puyehue volcano.
In developments this morning:
- Virgin said it would recommence flights out of Melbourne from about 7:30am (AEST).
- Some Virgin flights out of Tasmania and New Zealand will resume at around the same time.
- Qantas said no flights would fly in or out of Melbourne, Tasmania or New Zealand until at least 10:00am (AEST).
- Jetstar said flights would remain on hold until midday at the earliest.
- Tiger Airways said its flights would remain grounded until at least 11:30am (AEST)
Airlines are waiting for more information from weather bureaus and the Australian Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre in Darwin to see whether further cancellations are necessary, and are recommending passengers check the status of their flights online before arriving at the airport.
This morning Qantas spokeswoman Olivia Wirth said around 10,000 Qantas passengers and around 12,000 Jetstar passengers were affected by the shutdown.
"This is an inconvenience, we do recognise that," she told ABC News Breakfast, adding that the situation was "out of our control".
Air New Zealand says it will adjust flight routes and altitudes to avoid the plumes, which New Zealand's Civil Aviation Authority has warned will be at 20,000 - 30,000 feet - the cruising altitude for both jet and turboprop aircraft.
The authority says New Zealand airspace may be affected for at least a week, given the volcano is still erupting.
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Chat about this story w/ TalkitaSource: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/06/12/3241974.htm
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