Air traffic in Europe should be back to "almost 100%" on Thursday, after six days of unprecedented¹ travel chaos², the air traffic agency Eurocontrol says.

欧洲航行安全组织称，在历时6天的空前交通混乱之后，欧洲航空运输有望在周四“几乎100%”恢复正常。

Airlines resumed（重新开始） services across Europe on Wednesday, with most scheduled flights going ahead.

But tens of thousands remain stranded³（搁浅的，陷于困境的） around the world after ash from an Icelandic volcano caused the shutdown.

The airline industry says it has lost $1.7bn (£1.1bn) and has called for compensation（赔偿，报酬） from European governments.

The head of the International Air Transport Association (Iata), Giovanni Bisignani, said the impact of the shutdown had been "devastating⁴" and governments "must take their responsibility" and help carriers.

Eurocontrol said it expected about 22,500 flights to have taken place on Wednesday, out of a normal weekday total of 28,000.

"It is anticipated that almost 100% of air traffic will take place in Europe" on Thursday, the agency added.

At London's Heathrow airport, Europe's busiest, traffic ran at 90% normal service on Wednesday.

Many night flights are being allowed temporarily to help clear the backlog⁵（积压的工作） of stranded passengers.

Transatlantic（横渡大西洋的） services have returned to their normal level, with 338 flights arriving in Europe on Wednesday, Eurocontrol also said.

German airline Lufthansa said it would fly at full capacity by operating about 1,800 flights on Thursday, up from about 700 on Wednesday.

Air France says its long-haul（长距离的） flights are now departing as normal, although services in parts of northern Europe remained suspended.

Denmark, Norway and Sweden - among the countries previously⁶ worst affected⁷ by the ash cloud - have now lifted the last of their bans.

Some airspace restrictions⁸ remain over Finland and some remote Scottish isles⁹（岛） .