Spain closes airports in Canary Islands, Seville and Jerez because of volcanic ash

MADRID – MADRID (AP) — Spanish authorities say seven airports are closed because of ash from the volcano in Iceland.

The Spanish National Airport Authority says airports in the Canary islands of Tenerife, La Palma and La Gomera are closed since 5 a.m. (0300 GMT, 11 p.m. EDT Monday) Tuesday, likely affecting dozens of tourist flights.

On mainland Spain, airports at Seville and Jerez in the south and Badajoz in the east were closed at 6 a.m. (0400 GMT, midnight EDT).

The agency says Spain also still has restrictions on planes flying between 20,000 feet and 35,000 feet above the ground, mainly affecting trans-Atlantic flights to and from other European countries.

Up to 20 Spanish airports, including international hub Barcelona, closed over the weekend because of the ash.