All flights canceled in Argentina due to volcanic ashes

Passengers wait at the Ezeiza International Airport near Buenos Aires, Argentina, June 10, 2011. International and domestic airports in the capital city remained closed for the second day on Friday, due to the safety concerns over the ash cloud from the eruption of the Chilean volcano Puyehue. Photo:Xinhua

Air traffic in Argentina will remain suspended this Friday on account of the presence of volcanic ash after the eruption of Puyehue volcano in Chile.

Local authorities agreed on this measure and commercial air transport came to a halt for "safety reasons."

The Transport Ministry said that the volcanic ashes cloud "is spreading on Buenos Aires metropolitan area," adding "there will still be flight cancellations at the Ezeiza international airport and the metropolitan airport," as it happened in the last four days.

"Given that the volcano's emission has been lessening, it is expected that the ash cloud will leave Buenos Aires this afternoon and the situation at both airports will improve," said this ministry.

In Argentina, all flights make a stop at Buenos Aires, even those flights between remote cities in the country, and this is the reason why the air space is closed as terminals in Ezeiza the Metropolitan Airport do not operate.

Austral, Aerolineas Argentinas and LAN Argentina airline companies confirmed on Friday morning that flights are canceled until security conditions are in place to continue the service.

LAN Argentina said that 26 national services and 25 international flights have been canceled, and that services will remain suspended until 3:00 pm(1800 GMT) at least.

The Puyehue volcano, about 2,240 meters high, is located in the Andes mountains in southern Chile. The eruption caused volcanic ash fall in the southern provinces of Argentina, a phenomenon which has moved its way to the central part of the country, Uruguay and the south of Brazil because of the changing wind direction.