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Sydney - Main airlines have suspended services -
Melbourne - A departures sign shows the effected flights -
Chile - Puyehue volcano is still erupting in the Andes -
Melbourne - A passenger rests in the departure lounge -
Sydney - Passengers queue in the Virgin Australia Terminal
Hundreds of flights were grounded today in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Canberra as the Chilean ash cloud returned to Australia.
The cloud, created by the eruption of the Puyehue volcano high in the Andes more than two weeks ago, has looped the globe and made its way back to Australia.
The chaos is due to worsen over coming days.
The travel plans of more than 120,000 people have been thrown into disarray, with an industry group saying it was Australia's worst air travel disruption for more than 20 years.
'The ash cloud is denser and larger than that which caused widespread disruption to flights last week,' said Airservices Australia.
The plume was hovering between 20,000 and 40,000 feet, it added.
'It is also predicted to linger longer over southeast Australia. It is spread in a large band below the Australian continent and is predicted to continue to move to the northeast and east in coming days.'
National flag carrier Qantas suspended services to and from Adelaide as well as Canberra and Sydney, which is Australia's busiest airport.
Qantas later announced that all flights into and out of Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra would also be grounded tomorrow, including international routes.
Virgin soon followed suit, although its Melbourne services will be reviewed at 1pm (3am Irish time) and flights into and out of Sydney and Canberra will be reviewed at 4pm (6am Irish time).
'We estimate that we will be cancelling in excess of 200 flights on Wednesday,' Qantas spokeswoman Olivia Wirth said.
She said that international arrivals and departures would be delayed until Thursday.
'The experts say we simply won't be able to operate in this situation. This has had a significant impact in the Qantas Group, but we will always put safety before schedule.'
Qantas' discount airline Jetstar also called off Adelaide and Sydney flights today, while Tiger Airways grounded its entire fleet, with no services anywhere.
Virgin suspended flights to Adelaide, Canberra and major hubs Sydney and Melbourne, as well as Tasmania.
