Lufthansa gets OK to fly 15 000 home

2010-04-19 17:05

Berlin - Germany's aviation authority says it has granted Lufthansa permission to fly 50 long-haul planes back home with about 15 000 passengers.

Lufthansa spokesperson Jan Baerwald said the planes, scattered around the world, would start getting ready "right now". The first flights will be from the Far East, with others following from Africa and North America, he said.

The planes will fly to Frankfurt, Munich and Düsseldorf, he said, adding that "we have an exception that allows us to fly so-called visual flight rules".

Baerwald noted that air traffic control is still keeping its restrictions on German airspace.

Britain chimed in with more good news, saying flight restrictions over Scottish airspace will be lifted on Tuesday morning at 06:00 GMT and other British airports could reopen later that day as well.

- AP