Hundreds of northeast flights delayed as Canada wildfire smoke cuts visibility

Smoke from wildfires successful Canada delayed hundreds flights astatine New York-area airports and successful Philadelphia connected Wednesday arsenic haze blanketed the portion and chopped visibility.

"The FAA is present slowing postulation from the East Coast and Midwest bound for Philadelphia International Airport owed to reduced visibility from wildfire smoke," the bureau said successful a statement.

Earlier, the FAA concisely halted flights bound for New York's LaGuardia Airport.

"The bureau volition set the measurement of postulation to relationship for the rapidly changing conditions," the FAA said.

Smoke drifting southbound from wildfires successful Canada covered the New York City country connected Tuesday into Wednesday, tainting aerial prime and sending residents indoors. As of noon Wednesday, the metropolis ranked fourth in the satellite for worst aerial quality, with an IQAir World Air Quality Index of 158, a level considered unhealthy for each residents.

As of astir 5:20 p.m. ET, much than 3,000 U.S. flights were delayed, according to flight-tracking tract FlightAware.

At LaGuardia Airport, 209 departures, much than a 3rd of the day's schedule, were delayed arsenic were 253 arrivals, oregon 44%, according to FlightAware. Nearly a 4th of flights bound for Newark Liberty International Airport were delayed, oregon 157 flights, and different 100 outbound flights were moving behind.

Flights to LaGuardia were delayed an mean of astir 2 hours, and flights to Newark were delayed an mean of 82 minutes, the FAA said. New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport besides reported some accomplishment and departure delays.

United Airlines said successful a connection it was "monitoring the concern intimately and looking retired for the information of our employees who enactment outside, and adjusting our docket wherever needed."

A spokesperson for Delta Air Lines told CNBC that the bearer has protective instrumentality for staff.

"And for those who enactment connected the tarmac, we're having them travel wrong to wherever breakrooms are successful betwixt craft turns," the spokesperson said. "We are besides watching the forecasts which telephone for rainfall successful NYC successful the days up which should amended the aerial quality."

An American Airlines spokesperson said the institution is making definite ramp workers person entree to vehicles successful betwixt flights arsenic good arsenic different supplies similar h2o and masks.

— CNBC's Emma Newburger contributed to this report.