Alaska Airlines cancels 41 flights involving 3,300 passengers due to volcanic ash cloud

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska Airlines said Monday it has cancelled more flights because of a massive cloud of volcanic ash from Alaska's Pavlof Volcano that spewed into the air.

The Seattle-based airliner said Monday afternoon it has canceled 41 flights involving six Alaska cities until the airline can evaluate weather reports after daylight Tuesday. The cancellations include all flights to and from Fairbanks.

The airline says the canceled flights affected 3,300 passengers.

Flights to Barrow, Bethel, Kotzebue, Nome and Deadhorse also are canceled.

The airline says it will resume its 54 regularly scheduled flights on Tuesday if conditions improve.

Pavlof Volcano, one of Alaska's most active, is 625 miles southwest of Anchorage on the Alaska Peninsula.

The volcano erupted Sunday afternoon, and by Monday morning an ash cloud had stretched northeast more than 400 miles into interior Alaska.