Asia Pacific and Indian carriers resume some operations to Europe

Asia Pacific and Indian carriers resumed some operations to Europe on 20-Dec-2010 as weather conditions in the continent eased, but there were still a number of delays and cancellations:

• North Asia:
  
  • Cathay Pacific: stated an Auckland-London flight departed in the afternoon on 20-Dec-2010 (Radio New Zealand, 20-Dec-2010);
• Southeast Asia:
  • Singapore Airlines: all flights to London remained provisional on 20-Dec-2010 (TODAYonline, 21-Dec-2010). One flight to London was forced to return to Singapore Changi Airport. The carrier also operated one London Heathrow-Singapore flight during the day, one of only seven flights to operate from Heathrow since its partial reopening;
  • Malaysia Airlines: stated it plans to resume flights to Heathrow after the airport partially resumed operations, but stated it still expects delays due to heavy congestion (Bernama, 20-Dec-2010). The carrier's services remained subject to approval from Heathrow.
  • Thai Airways: announced (20-Dec-2010) the delayed departure and arrival of Bangkok-Heathrow flights, due to the temporary closure of the airport on 19-Dec-2010; [more]
• South Pacific:
  
  • Air New Zealand: stated Auckland-London flights were scheduled to depart on the evening of 20-Dec-2010. Two aircraft previously stranded at Heathrow also departed on 20-Dec-2010 (NZPA/ONE News, 21-Dec-2010);
  • Qantas: stated it is now operating services to London as scheduled and expected aircraft stranded in Asia to depart for London in the evening of 20-Dec-2010;
• India:
  • Air India: stated flights from Delhi and Mumbai to London remain grounded, as it awaiting approval to operate flights from Heathrow (The Economic Times, 20-Dec-2010)
  • Kingfisher Airlines: announced (20-Dec-2010) some Mumbai-Heathrow services will be in operation following the partial reopening. Flights diverted from Heathrow on 19-Dec-2010 were rescheduled to arrive at Heathrow on the evening of 20-Dec-2010. One Heathrow-Mumbai flight was cancelled during the day on 20-Dec-2010, as the aircraft scheduled to operate the flight was held up at Brussels Airport as local supplies of de-icing fluid have been exhausted and fresh supplies are expected to take some time to be delivered; [more] [more]
  • Pakistan International Airlines: stated it was confident its schedule to/from Europe would be normalised soon as weather conditions have started to improve (Dawn.com, 21-Dec-2010). The carrier was able to operate one Birmingham-Istanbul service on 20-Dec-2010, while a further two aircraft remain stranded in Paris and Cologne. The carrier also continued to delay two services that were scheduled to operate from Heathrow to Islamabad on 19-Dec-2010 (Internews, 21-Dec-2010);
  • SriLankan Airlines: plan to operate a previously suspended flight from Heathrow, shortly after the airport partially reopened (Asiantribune.com, 21-Dec-2010);