Fed: Icelandic volcano has ripple effect on passengers in Aust

AAP General News (Australia)
04-16-2010
Fed: Icelandic volcano has ripple effect on passengers in Aust

MELBOURNE, April 16 AAP - A vast cloud of ash from a volcanic eruption in Iceland is
messing up the travel plans of thousands of Australians.

With air space shut down across parts of Europe, Asian airports are become clogged
as passengers hang around waiting for connecting flights.

UK airspace is closed and no flights are operating to and from Britain until its National
Air Traffic Services gives the all-clear while European airports are closing down across
the entire continent.

The closures have have had a knock-on effect with the cancellation of many flights
to Europe from busy hub airports such as Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

Passengers in Australia bound for Europe were being advised not to fly, a Singapore
Airlines spokeswoman said on Friday.

"Anyone who has onward connections to Europe we're advising not to travel today," the
spokeswoman told AAP.

"Obviously none of us know when the situation is going to return to normal."

She said hotel rooms in Sydney were filling fast while in Singapore most hotels were
booked out and stranded passengers with sleeping bags were filling airport lounges.

Flights would be rebooked with no fees or charges associated, the spokeswoman said.

Passengers scheduled to fly to Europe on Thai Airways from Australia will be stopped
at Bangkok airport, while onward flights to Europe remain suspended.

"We're basically allowing anyone to change their flights to early next week," Ms Marr told AAP.

A statement issued by Emirates said customers travelling to Paris, Nice, Frankfurt,
Dusseldorf, Hamburg and Moscow were advised to check the status of their flight at www.emirates.com.

It said affected customers were being put in hotel accommodation where necessary.

"The safety of our passengers and crew is of paramount importance and will not be compromised,"

the statement said.

AAP ees/ce/it/de

KEYWORD: VOLCANO FLIGHTS AUST UPDATE

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