Air NZ UK flights resume as normal

Air New Zealand flights to and from London are operating as normal again, after restrictions due to volcanic ash were lifted overnight.

Ash lingers over Britain's airports, but the country's air traffic authority has raised threshold ash levels - for the second time - under which airplanes are considered safe to fly.

Volcanic ash from Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull blew over Britain yesterday, bringing back flight restrictions as had been imposed last month when the ash caused massive disruptions across Europe.

An Air New Zealand spokesman said this morning that restrictions had been eased overnight and the airline's two flights that had departed last night would reach London.

Flights out of London were similarly unaffected, he said.

One flight held back in Los Angeles yesterday just departed for London about 7am NZT this morning, an almost 19-hour delay.

This would delay the return flight, NZ1, back from London to Auckland by about half a day, the spokesman said.

Among those who were stranded in Los Angeles was missing man John Sleigh's New Zealand family, on their way to London to help in his search, says the BBC.

Sleigh has been missing for more than a week, disappearing after a night out in central London on May 9.

Friend of the family, Martha McKenzie-Minifie, told the broadcaster: "They're now stuck in Los Angeles and I imagine it is a bit frustrating."

Britain's National Air Traffic Service announced at 5am NZT this morning that it would now allow flights in "medium" density ash.

"As a result of this change, there are no predicted restrictions on UK airspace in the immediate future," it said.

Before Eyjafjallajokull's ash cloud shut down airports across Europe last month, planes were barred from flying through even low levels of ash.

But the threshold was raised to let planes fly through some ash, allowing British airports to reopen.

Now a third "medium" density classification has been introduced. No-fly zones will be imposed only in areas of greatest ash density.

"There is mounting evidence that aircraft can fly safely through areas of medium density, provided some additional precautions are taken. This is now what has been agreed," the service said.


- NZHERALD STAFF