Travel misery as ash grounds Australia flights

Tens of thousands of travellers were stranded Monday after ash from Chile's volcanic eruptions prompted Australian airlines to ground some domestic and international services. Strong winds have carried the ash more than half way around the world, over the southern Atlantic and southern Indian Oceans to Australia and as far as New Zealand since Chile's Puyehue volcano erupted more than a week ago.
Qantas said all flights in and out of the southern island of Tasmania and to New Zealand remained grounded Monday, but it lifted a ban on flights to and from the southern Australian city of Melbourne. The ash has already forced the cancellation of several international flights from airports in Argentina and Uruguay, and Qantas said three international services to Buenos Aires and Los Angeles were also halted. A total of 110 Qantas flights were cancelled on Sunday and Monday.