Most stranded tourists to be home by Monday after volcanic ash crisis closed airspace
By APSunday, April 25, 2010
Most ash-stranded Europeans to be home by Monday
LONDON — European airlines and government officials says most tourists stranded by the volcanic ash crisis will be home by Monday.
A week of airspace closures caused by ash spewed by Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull (pronounced ay-yah-FYAH-lah-yer-kuhl) volcano prompted the worst breakdown in civil aviation for decades, with about 100,000 flights canceled.
British authorities said about 100,000 stranded Britons would be home by Monday, with 35,000 more to return by Friday.
About 2,000 Belgians are stuck mainly in Egypt and Tunisia and 3,000 French tourists in various destinations.
Austrian Airlines say passengers stuck in Thailand would return home Sunday.
Many Icelandic airports are closed, but authorities say Eyjafjallajokull is now producing much less ash.
