[ad_1]
A Delta Airbus A320 takes off from Washington’s Ronald Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, as smoke from wildfires in Canada blankets the area.
Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images
Smoke from wildfires in Canada disrupted flights in the eastern United States again Thursday after hundreds were delayed the day before due to low visibility, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
“It is likely that the FAA will need to take steps to safely manage traffic flow to New York City (Washington) D.C., Philadelphia and Charlotte (North Carolina) due to reduced visibility from wildfire smoke,” the agency said.
The Federal Aviation Administration briefly halted incoming traffic at Philadelphia International Airport earlier Thursday.
Hundreds of flights to and from New York’s LaGuardia Airport and nearby Newark Liberty International Airport were delayed Wednesday due to heavy smoke. The FAA briefly halted traffic completely in LaGuardia during the day.
By Thursday evening, more than 4,200 flights to, from, and within the United States had been delayed, according to the FlightAware flight tracker.
A FlightAware tally showed that of the more than 280 LaGuardia-bound flights, nearly half of the day’s schedule had been delayed as of 6:40 p.m. ET Thursday, while another 161 were delayed.
In Newark, 129 departures were delayed, or 19% of the schedule, and 143 flights bound for the New Jersey airport were delayed, about a fifth of the total.
American Airlines And United Airlines said they were Waiver of change fees And fare differences For passengers affected by air quality issues in the area if they can fly before next Wednesday.
[ad_2]
