Globe-Circling Volcanic Ash Disrupts Australian Flights Again

Posted June 21st, 2011 at 12:15 am (UTC-5)
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Dozens of flights in and out of Australia have been canceled due to the return of a large cloud of ash from a Chilean volcano.

This is the second time in as many weeks that domestic and international service in Australia has been disrupted by ash from Chile's Puyehue Cordon Caulle volcano, which erupted June 4. The skies cleared late last week but the cloud has since circled the globe and come back again.

National airline Qantas suspended services to Sydney beginning Tuesday afternoon, while flights to and from the capital city of Canberra and the southern city of Adelaide were grounded from midday. Qantas also canceled six flights from Sydney to New Zealand.

Jetstar, Qantas' discount airliner, and Virgin Australia either postponed or canceled flights to and from Sydney, Adelaide, Canberra and Melbourne, while budget airliner Tiger Airways grounded its entire fleet until early afternoon.