MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Air traffic in Buenos Aires and Montevideo returns to normal as ash cloud disperses

Most Patagonia airports remain closed (Photo Reuters)

Argentina’s Civil Aviation agency (ANAC) and the Secretariat of Transport announced that the Ezeiza and Aeroparque airports are “now open and operating normally” as the ash cloud spewed by Chile’s Puyehue volcano late Tuesday seemed to be moving away from the Buenos Aires City and part of the River Plate area.

“Weather conditions have improved and the ash cloud has somewhat dispersed. This allows for both terminals to operate safely, which will enable us to slowly reprogram all flights,” read a press release sent by airport officials.

The ANAC confirmed that several international flights to destinations including Spain, Miami, Colombia, Australia and Mexico were already rescheduled at the Ezeiza airport, and that Aerolineas Argentinas, Austral and Lan Argentina airlines resumed their flights departing from the Aeroparque metropolitan airport.

Sol and TAM airlines, however, announced they had cancelled all their flights for the rest of the day. At the same time, Gol Airlines announced they were cancelling their evening flight and were considering doing the same with another one scheduled for later, probably Wednesday dawn.

Uruguay’s flag carrier Pluna Airlines said they are currently evaluating the reschedule of flights following on Uruguayan Civil Aviation authorities’ announcement that airlines had again begun operating from Carrasco international airport in Montevideo.

Nevertheless Argentina’s Secretariat of Transport recommended all passengers scheduled to fly Tuesday/Wednesday to contact their airline directly in order to check for changes in their flight plans and availability

Bariloche, Bahía Blanca, Esquel, Trelew, Viedma and Chapelco airports in Patagonia, the areas worst hit by the ash cloud hovering remain closed. The resort of Bariloche is only 100 kilometres east from the Puyehue erupting volcano.