Christchurch isolation continues
Airline services were resuming across New Zealand today although there are warnings that Chilean volcanic ash could return at any time.
Some airlines have yet to resume services to earthquake-hit Christchurch, adding to the concerns of tourism operators in the Canterbury region where warm weather has delayed the start of the ski season.
This comes as Christchurch & Canterbury Tourism chief executive Tim Hunter warns the aftershocks rocking the city pose a “major problem” that could finish some businesses.
About 50,000 people have already left the city after recent earth tremors and a poll of 15,000 people on the website of Christchurch newspaper The Press indicated one in five wanted to leave.
For the first 12 days of June, domestic passengers arriving at Christchurch International Airport had dropped 16,000 from last year to 125,000.
International passengers were 6000 down from the same period last year, to 35,000.
Christchurch International Airport chief executive Jim Boult said he did not expect an improvement until snow coated the mountains.
Ian Jarrett
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