Some European flights resume from Montreal - Action News
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Montreal

Some European flights resume from Montreal

Air travellers stranded at Montreal's Trudeau International Airport because of Icelandic volcanic ash get some relief, as air travel to Europe gradually starts to pick up.
A passenger checking the departures board at the airport.
A passenger checks the departure screen at Montreal's Trudeau Airport. Several Europe-bound flights were cancelled over the weekend, creating a huge backlog of travellers. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press)
Air travellers stranded at Montreal's Trudeau International Airport because of Icelandic volcanic ash were getting some relief Monday, as air travel to Europe gradually started to pick up.

At least six flights bound toParis, Amsterdam, Munich and Genevawere expected to take off from Trudeau Monday night.

Air Canada, KLM, Air Transat and Air France were forced to cancel some Europe-bound flights when air space was shut down five days ago after an ash cloud spewed from a volcano under Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull glacier.

Flights bound to England and other parts of France were still delayed or cancelledas the volcano ash cloud has yet to drift out of range, airport officials said. Itwasn'tknown when those flights would resume.

Trudeauairport officials, however,were asking people still stranded to find somewhere other than the airport to wait.

Dozens of passengers have camped out at the airport over the weekend waiting for word about their cancelled flights.

Air France travellers wait at Trudeau International Airport. ((Shawn Apel/CBC))

"We really don't know, they gave us a phone number, but no one answers, it's automated," said Louis-Marie Moinier, a French university student stuck at the Trudeau airport since Saturday. "It's a bit awkward, they can't tell us anything."

Moinier, who came to Montreal with 30 other students, was hoping to get on a special emergency flight to Toulouse, France,on Sunday, but the plane was full.

Trudeau airport officials said passengers should check with their individual airlines for any changes to their schedules.

France has set up a temporary consular office at Trudeau to help stranded French travellers.

Quebec's consumer watchdog agency said passengers delayed by the ash cloud should keep their tickets and request reimbursement.