A cloud of ash from an erupting volcano in Chile drifted higher over New Zealand and Australia yesterday, easing the threat to commercial aircraft, after scores of flights had been canceled over the past two days, grounding thousands of travelers.
Australia’s national carrier Qantas Airways resumed flights in and out of the southern city of Melbourne, but was still not flying to or from New Zealand or within the country.
Flights between the two countries and some domestic routes in both had been affected by the cloud, which has traveled about 10,000km across the Atlantic and Indian oceans, settling over their southern air space.
New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said the cloud had moved higher with the base at about 8,200m from 6,000m previously.
“That gives the airlines a bit more flexibility on operations, but it is completely their decision on whether they fly,” spokesman Bill Sommer said.
Air New Zealand kept in the air by rerouting flights and flying at lower altitudes to avoid the ash, but was monitoring developments closely.
“We will not fly through ash and are constantly taking guidance from CAA ... to ensure we can continue to carry passengers only where safe routes and altitudes are available,” Air New Zealand chief pilot David Morgan said.
Air New Zealand flights had been operating at about 5,500m, although it meant fuel consumption was up about 10 percent.
Virgin Australia, which had canceled services on Sunday, resumed flights yesterday.
The Chilean volcano has been erupting for the past week, throwing South American air travel into chaos as it spews ash high into the atmosphere.
In Argentina, where the ash has closed roads and blanketed Patagonian grazing pastures and a ski resort, state-run Aerolineas Argentinas said it had canceled local and international flights again late on Sunday.
Chile’s LAN halted services to and from Buenos Aires, saying it was “constantly monitoring the weather conditions.”
An estimated 60,000 travelers, mostly in Australia, had been affected, as about 200 flights were canceled.
The fine ash particles, which pose a danger to aircraft bodies and engines, were carried east by the prevailing winds to sit between 6,000m and 10,000m across southern parts of Australia and New Zealand.
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