The flights from Moldova could be resumed tomorrow, April 20, after 15.00, the director of the Chisinau International Airport Roman Podkorytov said in a meeting called by Premier Vlad Filat. A number of 74 flights have been canceled by now, with about 7,000 passengers being paid back the price of the tickets they bought, Info-Prim Neo reports. The director general of the airline Air Moldova Iulian Scorpan said five persons remained blocked in Germany's Frankfurt as they could not fly to Chisinau and did not want to apply for transit visas. Other passengers have been booked on other flights. Vitalie Miler, the head of the Meteorology Service of the state-run company Moldatsa, said the planes are still exposed to dangers as the volcanic ash can jam aircraft machinery when flying through the plume, shutting down the engines. The ash cloud is expected to remain above Moldova during the next 18 hours. Minister of the Environment Gheorghe Salaru said the volcanic ash cloud has not seriously affected the environment and there will be no major changes in the atmosphere the next days. Foreign Minister Iurie Leanca said the Moldovan embassies and consular offices furnish the citizens with the necessary information, while Minister of the Interior Victor Catan stressed that additional train cars and motor vehicles are needed to ensure the transportation of passengers. A plan of action will be formulated by the end of the day. More than 17,000 flights have been canceled all over Europe due to the volcanic ash sweeping across the continent.