Australia: Christmas travel chaos as hail storm tests airlines to the limit

Passengers left stranded in airports around the country for days after a hailstorm hit Sydney have called for airlines to be more up front about delays and cancellations. Sydney Airport was closed when hailstorms lashed the city Thursday, causing dozens of flights to be delayed or cancelled in one of the busiest travel periods of the year. But while travellers accept airlines have no control of the weather, they have been frustrated that flights continue to be disrupted days after the weather cleared due to ongoing "operational issues". Unlike in Europe, passengers in Australia don't have any legal rights when domestic flights are delayed or cancelled. Australian airlines do not have to guarantee their timetable. The timing is at the discretion of the airline. <br/>