Air quality alerts still in place as smoke hangs over Philadelphia region | Live updates

Philadelphia International Airport has experienced more than 200 flight delays so far on Friday as hazy conditions prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to limit the number of aircraft arriving at the airport.

The FAA implemented a ground delay program to control how many flights land at once in the reduced-visibility conditions. As a result, the average arriving flight is being delayed by 67 minutes from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m.

"Whereas a ground stop halts all traffic, the ground delay will still allow flights to get in; it will just space it out a little bit more," said Heather Redfern, public affairs manager for Philadelphia International Airport.

Hazy conditions cause more than 200 delays at Philadelphia International Airport

Travelers departing and arriving at the airport reported concerns about both flight schedules and air quality as smoke lingered over the region.

Michael Lem, who was traveling through Philadelphia from Houston, said he was relieved to be indoors while monitoring potential delays.

"You're worried about your air quality and breathing all that stuff in, so not so excited about it," Lem said.

The delay program follows similar FAA measures Thursday, when Philadelphia International Airport recorded 365 delays and 12 cancellations. Airport officials said pilots reported low visibility and ash on their windshields.

A Code Purple air quality alert was issued in Philadelphia because of wildfire smoke from Canada that has lingered over the region. Public health officials urged people to remain indoors when possible.

Redfern said delays affecting arriving flights could also impact departures.

"There could be a ripple effect for departing flights from PHL as is always the case when there's weather or some sort of delay," she said.

Some travelers said they planned ahead for possible disruptions.

"Fingers crossed," said Latasha Lambert of Baltimore.

Lambert said she built extra time into her travel plans.

"The good thing is, we're a day early for our flight so if it is delayed then if it is delayed it won't cause us to miss our cruise," she said.

Other passengers said safety concerns outweighed frustration over longer waits.

"It's really bad in Michigan. People are wiping ash off of their vehicles. I saw a lot of emergency room visits and things like that, so I'm going to take it seriously," said Sara, a traveler from Flint, Michigan.

The ground delay program was scheduled to remain in effect until 11 p.m. at Philadelphia International Airport.

Airport officials recommended that travelers check with their airlines for the latest flight information before traveling.

Philadelphia has downgraded from a Code Purple to Code Red Air Quality Alert, officials said during a new conference Friday afternoon.

However, officials said that this does not mean it's time to put your guard down, adding that the city could be upgraded back to a Code Purple later Friday night.

Philadelphia city officials hold update on air quality

Under a Code Purple, officials say residents should not spend more than 90 minutes outside and should wear an N95 or KN95 mask to protect themselves. They add that these are also good recommendations while under a Code Red.

Visit Phila.gov for the latest on air quality conditions in the city.

Flights on Friday afternoon at Philadelphia International Airport will be delayed due to low visibility as wildfire smoke lingers over the region.

The FAA says flights will be delayed about an hour, beginning at 2 p.m., in an effort to control the amount planes arriving at once in the smoky conditions.

The the airport and travelers are keeping their eyes on the sky amid hazy conditions from wildfire smoke

This will have a domino effect on departures.

The airport and travelers are keeping their eyes on the sky and the FAA's airspace status website.

The airport is encouraging all travelers to check with their airlines to make sure their flights are running on time.

Acording to FlightAware, there have been 187 delays and nine cancellations as of 1:30 p.m. Friday. However, the airport says those aren't necessarily connected to the wildfires.

While it might not visually appear that air quality levels are changing, Meteorologist Payton Domschke says conditions are improving in the Philadelphia area Friday afternoon.

The haze is expected to linger into Saturday before storms, associated with a cold front, move in to clear things up.

So far, this smoke event has not reached the levels the region saw in June 2023, but some areas have gotten relatively close, according to the National Weather Service, adding that it's certainly the smokiest event since then.

Domschke says the worst of the haze was earlier Friday, adding that we are not quite done with it yet with the region still in a Code Purple.

The haze is expected to linger into Saturday before storms, associated with a cold front, move in to clear things up.

She says the cold front will function as our broom sweeping out the serious smoke.

However, those storms could also be strong to severe, producing damaging winds, heavy rainfall, and even isolated tornadoes.

The AirNow website projects PHL's AQI on Saturday to still be code orange, which is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups.

Domschke says skies should look normal by Sunday and Monday.