Canada’s wildfire has significantly affected air travels across various cities in the United States. The situation has created challenges in the aviation industry, affecting thousands of travelers.
The wildfire has led to delays in air travel across the U.S. with approximately six hundred flights being canceled. A statement by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) states that air travel will continue to face disruptions due to reduced visibility as a result of the wildfire.
The wildfire has affected the air quality in eastern U.S. with New York being among the affected cities. On Thursday morning, New York had an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 222; a score that is above 200 is considered to be extremely unhealthy.
Flights bound for Newark Airport in New Jersey have been halted by the FAA as a result of the Canadian wildfire. The AQI score of Philadelphia was 243 and this is also a key reason why air travel to Philadelphia International Airport was paused by the FAA.
The FAA continues to warn travelers about possible delays in air travel in Dallas, Charlotte, North Carolina, New York, and Philadelphia. The FAA released a statement on the necessity of taking measures to manage air travels into cities like New York, Charlotte, and Philadelphia for safety reasons.
Sam Ausby, an FAA spokesperson, released a video on Twitter stating that aircraft will need to slow their speed as they approach airports due to reduced visibility. The video highlights the importance of maintaining safety in the runways and how this would lead to possible delays.
The FAA states that travel advisories are likely to change based on the evolution of weather conditions. The AQI of New York was 183 on Thursday and according to IQAir.com; this is the worst globally.
Airlines continue to urge travelers to regularly monitor their websites and apps for possible delays. JetBlue states that they are continuing to monitor the impact caused by the Canadian wildfire on air travel.