Delays continue after Melbourne Airport terminal closure

MELBOURNE - Budget air carrier Virgin Blue will work today to clear a backlog of thousands of passengers left stranded when the south terminal of Melbourne Airport was closed.

The terminal was evacuated yesterday after dozens of people fell ill, with authorities fearing chemical leak.

However, emergency crews could find no trace of any chemicals in the air and still do not know what caused the outbreak.

There were chaotic scenes yesterday, with thousands of stranded travellers gathering outside the airport, where the paramedics set up a field hospital to treat the ill and emergency crews donned protective suits to enter the terminal.

The ambulance service took 47 people to hospital and a further 10 were treated at the airport for symptoms that included nausea, vomiting, dizziness and respiratory problems.

Virgin Blue estimates about 13,000 of its passengers were affected by the closure of the terminal and the airline's attempt to clear the backlog got off to a bad start today when the first flight of the morning was cancelled.

Virgin Blue spokeswoman Heather Jeffery said the airline would be working hard today to clear the backlog that built up from the 82 flights they were cancelled yesterday.

"We have had people working through the night to get people onto the next available services," she said.

Ms Jeffery said there would be a flow-on effect from yesterday's terminal closure, with more delays, and passengers should call the information line on 136 789 to check their flight details before heading to the airport.

- AAP