Flights resume as ash cloud retreats

SYDNEY (AAP) - June 16 - Airline schedules have returned to normal across Australia's south following mass disruptions caused by an ash cloud from a South American volcano.
And some Trans-Tasman services are starting to come back.
As the vast plume of ash from an erupting Chilean volcano cleared early on Thursday, full services were restored to and from both Perth and Tasmania.
Airlines set about clearing passenger backlogs with extra flights and larger planes.
But with New Zealand still dogged by the ash plume, Qantas, Virgin Australia, Jetstar and other operators on Thursday cancelled trans-Tasman flights.
But Qantas, whose trans-Tasman flights had been suspended since Sunday, will restore most flights to New Zealand on Friday.
Its services to and from Auckland, Queenstown and Wellington will be resume, but not to Christchurch.
"Qantas will continue to monitor the movement of the ash cloud and assess its impact on flight operations," the airline said on Thursday night.
Jetstar will also recommence its flights from Australia to Auckland and Queenstown on Friday, along with some internal flights in New Zealand, although Christchurch services will remain on hold.
Perth was the latest Australian capital to be affected by the ash plume but the Bureau of Meteorology's Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) advised that the cloud had moved away from Western Australia's southwest and out to sea.
Airservices Australia spokesman Matt Wardell said the ash was dissipating from around all the nation's capitals.
"The long-term prognosis is still a little uncertain but at least for the next couple of days we are looking at being able to resume normal services," Mr Wardell said.
Airservices' National Operations Centre in Canberra and the VAAC in Darwin continue to monitor the Chilean volcano's ash plume as it moves eastwards.
A Qantas spokeswoman said all domestic services were operational on Thursday afternoon and extra services and larger aircraft had been put on to clear the backlog.
"The ash cloud looks as if it's going to stay at bay," she said.
Virgin Australia was expected to make a decision about trans-Tasman flights later on Thursday.
A spokesman said significant numbers of passengers were banking up but the backlog could not be addressed until conditions for trans-Tasman flying were considered safe.
Virgin's group executive of operations Sean Donohue said the plume that had been in the Christchurch, Wellington and Dunedin regions has moved further north, necessitating the schedule changes.
A Jetstar spokesman said extra flights had been put on for Perth and Tasmania on Thursday to clear a passenger backlog.
Qantas also cancelled its flight to Argentina because it would pass through or near the ash zone.
Chile's Puyehue-Cordon Caulle volcano began erupting on June 4, shooting a plume of ash into the air that surged across three oceans into Australian airspace.