Situation In Europe Still Unclear

Situation In Europe Still Unclear, Says Cathay Pacific

Cathay Pacific’s General Manager Operations in Hong Kong, Russell Davie, said today the situation in Europe remained extremely uncertain for air travel, as a new eruption of the Iceland volcano had caused further dispersal of ash over the United Kingdom and northern Europe.

"The announcement of the partial lifting of the flight ban over Europe last night (HK time) by EU Transport Ministers provided some hope that the situation was clearing, but the subsequent new volcanic eruption has changed the situation once again," he said.

"The latest official forecast for the spread of the ash shows no improvement to the situation, and aviation authorities in various parts of Europe have this morning issued what amounts to a no-fly zone over the affected area.”

So far, 75 Cathay Pacific flights to and from Europe have been cancelled, and some 16,500 passengers have been affected by the Iceland volcano disruption.

Davie said it was extremely difficult under these circumstances to plan resumption of services, and that Cathay Pacific would continue to monitor the situation on an hourly basis.

Cathay Pacific is managing to maintain services to Rome and Milan though last nights Milan flight has been delayed. Tonight's scheduled flight to Rome and the Milan service which departs shortly after midnight will go ahead.

"Rome and to some extent Milan are the only European services we have been able to maintain since last Thursday and we will continue to run these services while we can," Russell Davie added.

Cathay Pacific is continuing to contact passengers in New Zealand who are booked to travel to UK/Europe over the next few days to update them on the latest schedules and to re-book them on the first best available flights if their flights have been cancelled. Cathay Pacific is recommending passengers intending to travel to UK/Europe to remain in New Zealand rather than travel to Hong Kong until flight operations return to normal.

ENDS

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