The International Airports of Mexico City (AICM) and Felipe Ãngeles (AIFA) suspended their operations this Saturday due to the presence of ash from the Popocatépetl volcano.
The AICM issued an announcement on its official Twitter account and noted that the temporary closure began at 4:25 a.m. local time (10:25 GMT). After two hours, the airport of the Mexican capital “Benito Juárez” reported that the cessation of activities would be extended for two more hours. However, the closure of operations took longer than scheduled.
According to information from the AICM, the delays are headed by the review and cleaning of runways and taxiways. “AICM staff and airlines are carrying out the review and cleaning of runways and taxiways,” the air terminal reported.
The aviation company Aeroméxico also announced that its operations “are totally suspended.” It invited its users to take precautions and check the status of their flights on its monitoring portal, while assuring: “the most important thing for us is your safety.” “In the event that your flight has been affected due to the closure of operations at the AICM or AIFA, we have created a protection policy,” the company added.
The airlines Volaris and Viva Aerobus did the same and also asked to follow their flights through their respective online mechanisms, while also enabling assistance to those affected through social networks.
“We recommend being aware of indications from the authorities, as well as our updates regarding the operation of our flights in the area,” Viva said. For its part, Volaris confirmed that “due to the presence of volcanic ash in Mexico City, we have effects on some flights on our network.”
The activity of the Popocatepetl volcano, located between the State of Mexico, Morelos and Puebla, has not ceased in recent weeks. This morning there were a series of explosions, in addition to the expulsion of incandescent material, causing a rain of ash.
The event also affected AIFA, the flagship project of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and which was inaugurated just a year ago. In its official account, the Felipe Ãngeles airport explained that its operations were suspended as of 05:58 (11:58 GMT). Likewise, he indicated that measures were taken to clean the runways, in order to resume operations.
In addition, the head of Government of Mexico City, Claudia Sheinbaum, warned of the fall of ash in various municipalities of the Mexican capital, mainly in the north and east. The capital’s president specified that data from the National Center for Disaster Prevention recorded “light ash fall” in the mayor’s offices of Venustiano Carranza, Gustavo A. Madero, Azcapotzalco, Tlalpan and Iztapalapa, while reporting the closure of the Mexico City International Airport “until new notice”.
He also recalled some recommendations, such as covering water tanks and drains to prevent contamination and clogging of drains, as well as closing doors and windows, not exercising outdoors, covering your nose and mouth when leaving home, avoiding exposing food and stay informed without spreading rumors.
For his part, the governor of Puebla, Sergio Salomón, indicated that communication and coordination are maintained between the authorities of the three levels of government and surrounding entities.