Smoke from wildfires in Canada covered New York City on Wednesday, June 7, 2023.
Leslie Josephs/CNBC
Smoke from wildfires in Canada Hundreds of flights were delayed at New York-area airports and Philadelphia on Wednesday as fog blanketed the area and obscured visibility.
Earlier, the FAA suspended flights to New York’s LaGuardia Airport.
The FAA said it will “adjust traffic in light of rapidly changing conditions.”
Smoke drifting southward from wildfires in Canada blanketed the New York City area Tuesday through Wednesday, polluting the air and keeping residents indoors. As of noon Wednesday, the city ranked fourth in the world for the worst air quality. IQAir World Air Quality Index This is a level considered unhealthy for all residents.
As of about 9:20 p.m. ET, more than 4,800 U.S. flights were delayed, according to air-tracking sites. flight aware.
According to FlightAware, 230 outbound flights, or 40% of the schedule for the day, were delayed, while 264 inbound flights, or 46%, were delayed. Nearly a third of flights to Newark Liberty International Airport have been delayed, or 204, and a further 186 departures have been delayed.
Flights to LaGuardia were delayed an average of about two hours in the afternoon, and flights to Newark were delayed an average of 82 minutes, the FAA said. Both arrival and departure delays were also reported at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.
almost 670 united airlines Flights were delayed 24% of the schedule. Newark is he one of the airline’s major hubs.
“We are closely monitoring the situation, looking out for the safety of our employees working outdoors and adjusting schedules as necessary,” United said in a statement.
spokesperson for delta airlines The airline told CNBC it has protective equipment for its staff.
“And we’re asking those who work on the tarmac to go indoors to where the break rooms are between aircraft turns,” the spokesperson said. “We are also keeping an eye on the forecast for rain in the next few days in New York City, which should improve air quality.”
Ann american airlines A spokesperson said the company is ensuring ramp workers have access to vehicles and other essentials such as water and masks between flights.
—CNBC Emma Neuberger contributed to this report.
