Ash blocks return to Christchurch

Kay Flauss (left), Lorna Tyrrell and Shirley Nixon want to get home to be with their families. Photo / Dean Purcell

Christchurch residents desperate to get home to their families were among those stranded at Auckland Airport yesterday as the volcanic ash cloud from South America continued to affect travel plans.

"We're waiting, we want more answers," said Lorna Tyrrell.

Mrs Tyrrell and Kay Flauss rebooked their flights after their initial cancellation on Monday.

But yesterday they were again stuck at the airport with no way to get south.

Mrs Flauss said it was hard being away from family who were dealing with liquefaction and loss of power and water.

"I've got a very upset granddaughter and her parents, my son, are overseas at the moment.

"We are anxious," she said.

The Wests Tigers rugby league team were among thousands stranded by cancelled flights.

The team, preparing for their match against the Melbourne Storm on Sunday afternoon in Sydney, had a casual training session in Victoria Park in Auckland yesterday.

Meanwhile, international passengers told the Herald they were frustrated by lack of communication from the airlines.

Qantas passengers Gaelyn and Ian Belfield received a text about 11pm on Monday to say their Tuesday morning flight to Brisbane had been cancelled.

Mrs Belfield said: "What's our next step? We tried ringing [the information line] but we were just on the phone for a whole hour."

Many passengers wanted to know why Qantas was not flying when other airlines had yet to encounter ash-related problems.

"For some reason Qantas are the only ones who've said no," said Mr Belfield.

Civil Aviation Authority spokesman Bill Sommer said all airlines would be looking to avoid the ash cloud, but operators were making their own safety decisions.

Mr Sommer said the ash cloud "doesn't look as if it's going to go away soon".

The CAA and the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre expected particles to remain in New Zealand skies for at least six days after the Chilean volcano stopped erupting.

Most carriers, including Air New Zealand, Emirates and Singapore Airlines, have kept up their international services but Qantas and Jetstar suspended all transtasman flights.

Air New Zealand said it would "not fly through ash" and would continue to take guidance from the CAA and the MetService.

The airline said there was no reason to stop flying when "there are perfectly safe flight paths available below the level of ash".

UP AND DOWN

Air New Zealand: No flights cancelled.

Jetstar: All domestic and transtasman flights cancelled - 32 flights yesterday, 106 in total.

Qantas: All flights to and from New Zealand, Adelaide and Tasmania cancelled. To date this totals 300 flights, affecting around 23,000 passengers.

British Airways: Flights to Sydney, Melbourne and LA cancelled.

Other airlines still operating include: Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Thai Airways, Virgin Blue, Emirates, Cathay Pacific, Korean Air, Air Asia X and Air Pacific.