'Everyone home within 48 hours'

Government's pledge to stranded travellers as majority of long and medium-haul flights in France return to normal

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THE GOVERNMENT has pledged to get every French resident stranded overseas back home within 48 hours, as air traffic starts returning to normal.

Every airport in France is open again this morning and priority is being given to long and medium-haul flights, the majority of which are running today. UK air restrictions were lifted last night.

According to the government, two thirds of the French people stuck at foreign airports have been repatriated and the remaining 70,000 will get home in the coming days.

Commerce Minister Hervé Novelli said the state would do everything it could to help the tourism and travel industry. Its losses in France from the volcanic ash cloud have been estimated at €180m.

On top of this, airlines are estimated to have lost out on €200m of ticket revenue and tour operators €60m, bringing the total bill to about €440m.

Your stories needed

A British TV news crew is looking for holidaymakers who are stuck in deep rural France. Send an email to community@connexionfrance.com and we will pass your details on.

Some useful numbers and links (dialling from France)

SNCF: 0805 90 36 35
Eurolines: 0892 89 90 91
Aéroports de Paris: 3950
Air France: 3654
Easyjet
Ryanair
French civil aviation authority

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