FAA warns of flight disruptions in path of April 8 solar eclipse

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has warned of disruptions to air travel before, during and after the April 8 total solar eclipse.

This unique total solar eclipse will cause the moon to “completely” block the sun, making the sun's outermost layer, the corona, visible to the naked eye, creating a total solar eclipse path for 13 U.S. states.

The eclipse will cross North America in its path, passing through Mexico, the United States, and Canada. The FAA said in a statement that the impact is expected to be felt from approximately 2:30 p.m. ET to approximately 3:40 p.m. EDT.

WJET reports that most parts of the country will see at least part of the total solar eclipse, but cities like Dallas and Cleveland will see it. WJET is owned by his Nexstar Media Group, which also owns The Hill.

The FAA warned pilots to be prepared for flight changes and higher-than-normal traffic at airports along the path of the eclipse. These airports include Burlington International Airport, Syracuse Hancock International Airport, Indianapolis International Airport, Fort Wayne Airport, Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, Buffalo Niagara International Airport, and Austin Bergstrom International Airport.

Despite the potential for disruption on the ground, Delta Air Lines offered two flights so travelers could watch the eclipse from the air. Two flights will depart from Dallas-Fort Worth and occasionally arrive in Detroit, offering travelers “the perfect diversion from safely viewing the eclipse.”

Delta Air Lines said viewing opportunities will be available starting April 8 on five additional routes listed on its website and advised passengers flying on these flights to bring protective viewing glasses. .

“The April 8 eclipse will be the last total solar eclipse visible over North America until 2044,” Warren Weston, Delta's chief meteorologist, said in a statement. “This eclipse will last more than twice as long as the eclipse that occurred in 2017, and its path will be almost twice as wide.”