Ash clouds in Europe: Many West-bound Indian flights cancelled

New Delhi: All long-haul flights between India and Britain, the US, Canada as well as some other European cities were cancelled or indefinitely delayed today as airspace remained closed over several North European airports due to drifting ash from a volcano in Iceland.

Spokespersons of Air India, Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines said they have suspended operations to and from these destinations due to closure of airspace.

All west-bound flights of Air India were suspended from this afternoon for the next 48 hours, a spokesperson of the Air India said.

The following Air India flights have been cancelled for the next 48 hours.

AI 143/142 -16th April - Delhi - Paris - Delhi
AI 111/112 - 16th & 17th April - Delhi - London - Delhi
AI 131/130 - 17th April - Mumbai - London - Mumbai
AI 127/126 - 17th April - Mumbai - Frankfurt - Chicago - Frankfurt - Mumbai
AI 141/140 - 17th April - Mumbai - New York - Mumbai
AI 101/102 - 17th April - Delhi - New York - Delhi
AI 121/120 - 17th April - Delhi - Frankfurt - Delhi
AI 187/186 - 17th April - Amritsar - London - Toronto - London - Amritsar
AI 191/144 - 16th & 17th April - Ahmedabad - Frankfurt - Newark - Frankfurt - Ahmedabad

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Similarly, Jet Airways announced indefinite delay in its flights to London's Heathrow airport and its European hub Brussels that were scheduled for departure today.

These included onward flights from Brussels to JFK Airport in New York, Newark and Toronto, a spokesperson said.

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Due to closure of Heathrow and Brussels Airports, Jet Airways' announces an indefinite delay of its flights bound for Europe.

Jet Airways was working with the authorities to obtain the required permission to reschedule the flights at the earliest and said all penalties for cancellation or rescheduling of travel plan have been waived.

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In a press release earlier today, Jet Airways' announced an indefinite delay of its following flights.

* Mumbai - London

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9W 120 /16-Apr-10
9W 118/16-Apr-10

* India - Brussels and JFK/EWR/YYZ - Brussels
                     
BRU         = Brussels
YYZ         = Toronto
EWR         = Newark
JFK         = New York
  
9W-230/16-Apr-10        DEL/BRU               
9W-230/16-Apr-10        BRU/YYZ               
9W-229/15-Apr-10        YYZ/BRU               
9W-229/16-Apr-10        BRU/DEL               
9W-225/15-Apr-10        JFK/BRU               
9W-225/16-Apr-10        BRU/MAA               
9W-228/16-Apr-10        BOM/BRU               
9W-228/16-Apr-10        BRU/EWR               
9W-226/16-Apr-10        MAA/BRU               
9W-226/16-Apr-10        BRU/JFK               
9W-227/15-Apr-10        EWR/BRU               
9W-227/16-Apr-10        BRU/BOM               

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Jet Airways also announced that in case of cancellation and rescheduling of passengers travel plan, all penalties have been waived as a gesture of goodwill.

Kingfisher also cancelled four flights between London Heathrow and Delhi and Mumbai scheduled today.

Passengers have been advised to call the airline office to know their flight schedule before proceeding for airports, officials said.

Ash clouds from Icelandic volcano continued to hang over European skies today shutting down major airport hubs like Frankfurt, London and Paris for the second day.

The British Air Traffic Control has prohibited aircraft from entering certain parts of airspace over the UK as flying ash can compromise visibility and debris can be sucked into the engines of aircraft.