Qantas cancels flights due to Ash Cloud

Ash drifting across the pacific ocean towards Australia has prompted Qantas to cancel all it’s flights in and out of Melbourne.

Qantas had already cancelled flights to and from Tasmania and parts of New Zealand but this cancellation now stretches out to Australia. They are not alone, other airlines have also grounded flights in the region.

The Puyehue-Cordon-Caulle volcano has been erupting for more than a week and Qantas believes it is too dangerous to fly through the ash cloud at this time.

Strong winds have carried the ash particles from the volcano to southern New Zealand and Australia at between 6,000 and 10,600m (20,000 and 35,000ft).

The particles have the potential to seriously damage jet engines and is reminiscent of the ash cloud which drifted down from Iceland and across Europe only a month ago. .

Ash cloud carried on the wind across the pacific.

Qantas said all its flights to and from Melbourne and Auckland, New Zealand, were being grounded from Sunday evening local time.  All its flights in and out of Tasmania and the New Zealand cities of Christchurch, Queenstown and Wellington have already been cancelled.  Virgin Atlantic has also confirmed the cancellation of 34 domestic flights and one international flight from Melbourne on Sunday.  Jetstar has cancelled flights within New Zealand, from New Zealand to Australia and from Tasmania..

Air New Zealand confirmed that presently they had not cancelled any flights, believeing instead that they can adjust flight paths to steer aircraft below the ash.

New Zealand's Civil Aviation Authority warned that the ash was expected to be detected at the cruising level of aircraft but had not yet been seen below 20,000ft.

Flights in South America.

The volcano has already caused severe disruption to flights in South America, with planes grounded for several days in Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil.