Many flights into and out of New Zealand resumed Friday for the first time since a volcanic ash cloud began disrupting service last Sunday.

The resumption of service is welcome relief for many travelers in Australia and New Zealand who have grown frustrated with airlines’ differing policies on flying during ash emergencies.

During the week, Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand flew under or around the cloud when possible, while Qantas and JetStar said company policy forbid them from doing so. The differing viewpoints led to hundreds of canceled flights and thousands of stranded passengers.

While a few cancelations lingered into Friday morning, full service should be restored quickly as weather predictions show the cloud moving further away from vital airspace by Friday evening.

Source: MSNBC