.Russia tourists can't fly back from Beijing over volcano ash cloud.

BEIJING, April 16 (Itar-Tass) -- Over 100 Russian tourists cannot fly back to Moscow, as the Air China flight was cancelled.

"The flight CA909 was cancelled over the ash cloud from the volcano
erupting in Iceland," an official of the Chinese air company told
Itar-Tass. Russian passengers were denied the payment for hotel
accommodation, because, according to the air carrier, the flight was
cancelled due to force majeure circumstances.
"We are not responsible for the cancelled flight, as the passengers
should pay all the expenses for accommodation in Beijing," the Air China
official said. He refused to call a probable date of the next flight,
which is to bring Russian tourists to the homeland. According to the
Russian passengers, they were offered to fly back to Russia on April 29
and even in the beginning of May.
Meanwhile, the Chinese air company does not rule out that the Saturday
flight to Moscow may also be cancelled.
"The Russian Consulate is keeping the situation under control," chief
of the Consular Department of the Russian Embassy in Beijing Leonid
Ignatenko told Itar-Tass.
The Air China Company has earlier announced about cancelling most
flights to Europe.
-0-baz/mil