Mexico City airport resumes operations after volcanic ash

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexico City’s Benito Juarez International Airport said on Saturday it had resumed operations after suspending all flights due to ash from the active Popocatepetl volcano for several days.

“After clearing the volcanic ash, checking the runway and favorable wind conditions, we resumed take-off and landing operations at 10:00 am,” the airport said on Twitter. “Check with your airline for the status of your flight.”

The airport was forced to suspend operations for more than five hours. Several flights were delayed while others were cancelled.

Popocatepetl (“The Smoking Hill”) volcano is located 72 kilometers southeast of Mexico City.

Since the beginning of a new phase of eruption in 1994, the volcano has been one of the most closely monitored in the world by scientists with cameras and sensors.

Earlier this week, schools were closed in several cities because of the volcanic ash.

(Reporting by Sarah Kinosian, French edition Mathieu Protard)