NEW YORK – Flights heading towards New York’s LaGuardia Airport were temporarily suspended by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Wednesday due to decreased visibility caused by smoke originating from wildfires in Canada.
In a statement, the FAA said, “The FAA has taken steps to manage the flow of traffic into the New York City area due to reduced visibility from wildfire smoke. Flights bound for LaGuardia International Airport have been paused. Flights to Newark Liberty International Airport have been slowed.”
The FAA reported delays of approximately one and a half hours for flights at Newark.
Starting on Tuesday and continuing into Wednesday, smoke from the Canadian wildfires descended southward, enveloping the New York City area.
This led to compromised air quality and prompted residents to stay indoors. By noon on Wednesday, the city ranked fourth globally for the poorest air quality, registering an IQAir World Air Quality Index of 158, which is considered unhealthy for everyone.
Initially, the ground stop at LaGuardia was implemented until at least 2 p.m. Eastern Time.
News by Breaking911
