After many months of planning and looking forward to our 3 and a half week trip to the South Island of New Zealand, it is starting to look like we might have to cancel due to the ash cloud from the volcano. We are booked on Qantas who hasn't been flying to/from New Zealand for the last 5 days.

Until today it looked like most other airlines were flying so we figured we could at least do the London->Sydney portion of our trip and then purchase tickets for Sydney->New Zealand hop on another airline when we arrived if we had to. However, now we've read that other airlines have had to cancel flights as well and that the ash cloud could hang around for a while.

Does anyone in Australia or New Zealand have any better predictions from the meteorologists? We don't want to cancel the entire trip, but we also don't want to get all the way to Sydney to find out that we can't make it to New Zealand. We are supposed to fly out on Saturday and are really not sure what to do. If we cancel the entire trip Qantas says on their website they'll refund the cost and I think we could cancel out of our accommodations and tours. If we fly to Sydney and then get stuck then obviously we would not get a refund. We can't do this trip at any other time of the year so postponing is not an option.

We are so frustrated!

I am from Sydney and have just heard that most airlines are starting up flights back to NZ today. Just keep checking the website and the NZ airport page to see where flights are coming into. Too hard to call the airline as I can only imagine the calls on hold trying to find out the same information.

If you arrive in Sydney and need to find another airline to fly to NZ there are many options such as Pacific Blue, Air New Zealand, Emirates, Jetstar.

Good luck though. Apparently the ash is clearing here!

the ash was over perth yesterday so flights to there were cancelled-seems there is no surety about places or flights at the moment

I truly must be living under a rock..this is the first I've heard of the ash cloud and I'm in NZ, having flown in from Perth a few weeks back. Funny how that works when you're on holiday. Now I'm wondering if I'll be spending some extra time here?

When do you leave STW?

STW -

Just heard on the NZ news that Air NZ will resume flights to NZ this evening, for all but one flight to Queenstown. JetStar will resume flights within 48 hours. I can only assume that Qantas will follow. Hopefully, this will all blow over (literally) and not affect your travel plans.

Good luck!

Hi, stw.
Yes, the news this afternoon is sounding a bit brighter. I'd hang in there for another 24 hours, at least. It will be bitterly disappointing for you if you have to cancel, and it looks as if the wind may be blowing the ash cloud away.
Here's hoping.
Rob.

ps. The ash cloud is largely responsible for the colourful sunrises and sunsets that we have been getting in the last few days, Mel.

We are scheduled to leave on Saturday from London although we won't get to NZ until Monday. From what we've read online (and on the Qantas facebook page) nobody can get through on the phone to reservations.

The latest on the Qantas website says all Qantas flights to/from NZ are cancelled again today (Thursday). The arrivals/departures listing on the Christchurch website looks pretty grim overall too! We're certainly hoping it clears enough for us to get there!

We were thinking that the sunrises and sunsets would be colorful if we could just get there!!

Big backlog of flights to clear:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/new...ectid=10732524

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/1...lights-tonight

Here's what the ash cloud did for the sunset over Mt. Taranaki:
http://www.odt.co.nz/regions/otago/1...-disrupted-ash

I saw Qantas was starting flights again to the South Island. Fingers crossed the winds don't change so we can get there!

Yes, it looks like you may get the magical "window of opportunity" in the sky, stw.
Rob.

Still looks promsing on this end STW. - flights seem
to be getting back to normal. No sun to set here in Golden Bay Rob, just plenty of rain and wind.

It seems that the ash is back and apparently could cancel flights into Sydney & Melbourne again. Shall have to wait and see!

most flights cancelled out of melbourne today from 4pm-a few international arrivals that's all. Airport sites have good info.

Qantas and Jetstar cancelled all their NZ flights, but ANZ is flying today.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/5191...-cancellations

We are scheduled to fly out of Christchurch to Auckland tomorrow to connect with a flight to San Francisco. We are flying with Air NZ so, hopefully, we should get away. My greatest fear is that the flight from CHC to AKL will be be delayed because of the ash cloud over the lower part of the country but the flight from AKL will be leaving as scheduled. Fingers crossed!
Rob.

Good Luck kiwirob!

We flew from CHC-AKL-PER yesterday on Air NZ. While Qantas, Virgin Blue and JetStar had cancelled all their NZ-OZ flights, Air NZ was operating as usual. The flight board at the AKL airport read: CANCELLED CANCELLED CANCELLED...The flight took eight hours and was a bit bumpy as we had to fly at a lower elevation than normal, but all went well and we're back home safe and sound. Air NZ service was fantastic, the flight was full. The PER airport was a mess as usual.

It was a bit disconcerting to fly the only airline that would fly...the imagination runs a bit wild, but it worked well for us.

Good luck kiwirob.