Qantas Airways has cancelled all trans-Tasman flights to and from New Zealand and domestic flights to and from Tasmania today due to a volcanic ash cloud from the Puyehue-Cordon Caulle volcano eruption in Chile.
The Oneworld carrier has also scrapped all domestic services to and from Melbourne until 13:00 and cancelled international flights between Sydney and Buenos Aires and from Melbourne to Los Angeles, it said.
Its low-cost subsidiary Jetstar has cancelled trans-Tasman flights to and from New Zealand, domestic New Zealand flights and domestic flights to and from Melbourne and Tasmania. It has also stopped operating flights between Singapore and Auckland today.
Air New Zealand (ANZ) is continuing to operate its domestic and international services, and said it has made "adjustments to flight paths and cruising altitudes so as to completely avoid the ash". It added: "The Metservice has advised that the ash cloud is now much higher and the CAA is comfortable for domestic and trans-Tasman services to continue to operate."
The volcano eruption began on 4 June, with the ash cloud arriving over New Zealand a week later. New Zealand's Civil Aviation Authority said on 11 June that it expects New Zealand airspace to be affected for at least a week.
"In order to avoid the ash, domestic services have been operating up to a maximum 5,500m, while trans-Tasman flights departing Christchurch and Wellington were given new flight paths heading much further north than normal before crossing the Tasman," said ANZ's general manager airline operations and safety and chief pilot David Morgan.
The Star Alliance operated 473 flights around New Zealand and across the Tasman yesterday, it said.
Virgin Australia, which cancelled services over the weekend, said it will recommence flights today to and from Melbourne, Tasmania and New Zealand.
"Overnight we have been monitoring closely the situation and we now believe that conditions are safe to operate. We will be operating a full schedule today with minimal cancellations," said the airline's group executive operations Sean Donohue.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
