Volcano causes Mexico flight chaos

Popocatepetl volcano causes Mexico flight chaos

US airlines have cancelled dozens of flights into Mexico City over fears that volcanic ash from a rumbling volcano would affect their planes.

US airlines have cancelled dozens of flights into Mexico City over fears that volcanic ash from a rumbling volcano would affect their planes.

Delta and American were among the airlines cancelling more than 40 flights into the capital on Thursday.

Popocatepetl volcano has been rumbling all year, and began spewing ash and steam earlier in the week.

Airport authorities have kept the runway open and say the volcano poses no risk to flights.

"There is a very thin presence of ash, which does not harm operations or affect equipment," an unnamed airport spokesman told AFP news agency.

The airport said US Airways, Delta, United, American and Alaska Airlines cancelled flights as a precaution.

The routes affected by the cancellations were flights to Houston, Dallas, Denver, Phoenix, Chicago and Los Angeles.

Mexican airlines are continuing to fly into the airport as scheduled.

The authorities have established a 7-mile (11km) no-go zone around the volcano, which lies 40 miles south-east of the airport.

It has been spewing ash and a fountain of hot rock since May, and the alert level is currently set one notch below evacuation level.

Several tremors were reported around the volcano on Thursday, but officials said they had no immediate plans to raise the alert level.