Crowded trains and air traffic blocked by ash
The volcanic ash from Iceland has continued to disrupt air and overland traffic in Switzerland as airports remained closed on Saturday.
Thousands of air travelers were stranded as flights were being cancelled for a second day.
The Federal Civil Aviation Office has announced the Swiss airspace would remain closed until Sunday 2pm.
A spokesman said the plume of volcanic ash had hardly moved all day Saturday and the weather conditions were set to remain unchanged for the near future.
A senior official added it was difficult to make a forecast as there are no comparable data from similar situations.
He pointed out the economic impact of an extension of the ban in Switzerland as well as the rest of Europe.
Earlier the Swiss International Airline said its planes would not resume its European flights before Sunday morning at the earliest. Passengers on long-haul flights might have to wait until Sunday evening.
The shutdown of commercial air travel led to overcrowded trains in Switzerland despite extra services laid on by the Federal Railways.
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