Smoky air could cause travel problems on busiest air travel day ahead of the July 4th holiday
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Millions of Americans are running into travel trouble as they try and make their way to their 4th of July destination as smoke from Canadian wildfires is impacting numerous parts of the country.
It's expected to be the busiest air travel day ahead of the weekend leading into the July 4th holiday.
On top of normal travel during a busy holiday, travelers will also have to contend with the smoke blanketing the midwest and the east coast, including major cities like Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, and of course, here in Pittsburgh.
Over 120 million people are currently under air quality alerts and some of the worst air quality is classified as 'very unhealthy,' which can lead to low visibility.
Officials at the Pittsburgh International Airport say that they are monitoring the situation along with the airlines.
"We're working with our airline partners and in contact with them as well as the FAA to monitor the situation," said Bob Kerlik, Director of Public Affairs for the Allegheny County Airport Authority.
AAA says that four million people are expected to travel by air over the next few days, an increase of nearly half a million people from last year.
"We want people to arrive two hours before their flight," Kerlik said. "It's going to be a busy weekend, 4th of July, one of the busiest weekends we've seen, certainly since pre-pandemic. So we want people to arrive early for their flight and also monitor the status of your flight with your airline."
If you're hitting the roads and not the air this holiday, AAA estimates that over 43 million people will be driving over the next few days, an increase of an additional 1 million drivers from 2022.
If you're heading to the airport, it's recommended to leave yourself extra time and check your flight status both early and often.
