MAS TO MOUNT EXTRA FLIGHT TO FERRY HOME STRANDED MALAYSIANS IN EUROPE

KUALA LUMPUR, April 21 (Bernama) -- Malaysia Airlines (Mas) will mount an
extra flight to Rome to ferry home Malaysians stranded in European capitals due
to Iceland's volcanic eruption which closed many airspaces in the continent.

According to a statement issued by the foreign ministry here Tuesday,
the French Civil Aviation Authority, the DGAC, conducted "test flights" along a
few corridors Tuesday morning.

"If the flights are successful and no damage accrues to the aircrafts, it
will begin to allow a very limited number of flights to fly into Paris-Charles
de Gaulle and Paris-Orly Airports, but only from the south of France, meaning
short-haul flights," it said.

The statement said the priority of the aviation authorities would be
to clear the backlog -- beginning with short-haul and followed by regional and
lastly, long-haul flights -- with the last flight only being allowed to enter
Paris airspace from the southeast of France (between Bordeaux and Nice).

The national carrier also decided to mount an extra flight from the Italian
capital to cater for Malaysians stranded in Europe due to the region-wide
cancellation of flights since April 15.

The statement said flight MH 7015 would depart from Rome Fiumicino Airport
bound for Kuala Lumpur on Thursday at 1340 hours.

Currently, the Malaysian embassy in Paris is making arrangements for
stranded Malaysians in France to get seats on the flight.

The embassy is also arranging for a private bus to ferry them to Rome, which
will depart Paris at 10.30am tomorrow from Trocadero and the site can be reached
on Metro Line 6 and Line 9.

For further information and assistance regarding flight MH 7015, stranded
Malaysians travelling on MAS can contact Ridduan Mohd Nor at +336 4334 2493.

-- BERNAMA