Volcanic Ash Update 6

The New Zealand Metservice has advised that low areas of ash down to 10,000ft continue to cover parts of the east coast of the South Island affecting flights into and out of Invercargill, Dunedin and Christchurch only. A total of eleven services were cancelled yesterday evening into and out of these airports as a result.

“Since areas of ash arrived in our airspace on Sunday, Air New Zealand has been working closely with CAA and Metservice to ensure flight paths continue to avoid areas of ash, however ash at these new low levels gives us no choice but to cancel some services this morning,” says General Manager Airline Operations and Safety and Chief Pilot Captain David Morgan.

All domestic services up until midday today are cancelled to and from:

• Invercargill
• Dunedin
• Christchurch

Trans-Tasman services from Christchurch up until midday today are cancelled affecting the following flights:

• NZ895 Christchurch-Melbourne which was due to depart at 0900
• NZ803 Christchurch-Brisbane which was due to depart at 0910

A further update will be provided before midday.

“Air New Zealand will not fly through ash and will continue to take guidance from CAA and the Metservice to ensure we can carry passengers where safe routes and altitudes are available,” says Captain Morgan.

Air New Zealand has operated almost 2,000 flights and carried approximately 100,000 passengers since ash arrived in New Zealand airspace on Sunday.