BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Ash from a Chilean volcano grounded flights again yseterday across much of southern South America, disrupting travel for thousands just as Argentina plays host to the continent's premier soccer tournament.

The Copa America games are in eight cities around Argentina, which lies directly in the path of the ash plume.

The country's main airports have mostly remained open since the Cordon Caulle volcano began erupting June 4, but as the ash plume comes and goes with the prevailing winds, each airline has had to decide day by day whether it's safe to travel.

Airborne volcanic ash can seriously damage a plane's computers, sensors and fuselage, and even paralyze jet engines in flight.

Continental and United Airlines canceled flights into Buenos Aires on Thursday, and American canceled a flight to Miami from the Argentine capital.

Chile-based LAN Airlines, the region's largest carrier, canceled or delayed dozens of flights to and from Argentine airports, and Aerolineas Argentinas canceled many domestic flights. One Aerolineas flight from Sao Paulo to Buenos Aires was diverted. It wasn't immediately clear where to.

Other carriers, including Pluna, Gol and Iberia, grounded their jets in the region.

With nearly five weeks of disruption to air travel, Argentina's tourism and agriculture sectors are suffering millions of dollars in losses.

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