Airlines adjust services again as ash cloud dissolves over Aus

Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia have resumed all domestic services as the ash cloud from Chile’s Puyehue-Cordon Caulle volcano begins to dissipate over Perth, whie Air New Zealand has announced that it will now resume flights from New Zealand’s lower South Island this afternoon.

The news comes after Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin cancelled flights to Perth yesterday following the ash cloud’s shift west, however all three airlines (including Virgin subsidiary Pacific Blue) have continued to suspend various flights to and from New Zealand until 12pm today, given the continual presence of a heavy blanket of ash over the country’s South Island. Tiger remains the only major airline to not re-open all its domestic services, continuing to cancel all flights to Tasmania while services to Perth are still under review by the airline.

Meanwhile, Air New Zealand was due to resume scheduled flights “below the ash level to and from Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill” this (Thursday) afternoon. Flights to Queenstown still remain grounded, however.

Airservices Australia said remnants of the ash cloud were “not expected to impact on any other Australian mainland capital cities within the next 24 hours. Airlines are expected to provide further updates to their current flight schedules later today.