Newfoundland Extreme Fog Causes Flight Chaos
SEVEN DAYS OF DELAYS
Published Jun 05, 2024
By Kritika Gogte
Extremely foggy conditions and heavy rain in Newfoundland have caused flight delays, cancellations and diversions at St. John's Airport.
Over a dozen flights have been cancelled since Friday due to poor visibility. Newsweek has contacted the airport for further updates on the situation.
The airport has invested $40 million in enhanced landing systems to minimize disruptions to air travel in foggy weather.
A satellite image showing Newfoundland on Wednesday morning WINDY.COM
The systems were installed in 2016 and tested successfully. However, CBC reported that despite the airport's announcement of successful landings on Twitter, most flights later that day were still either cancelled or delayed.
Per Euro Control's information website Skybrary, an Instrument Landing System (ILS) is defined as a precision runway approach aid based on two radio beams which together provide pilots with both vertical and horizontal guidance during an approach to land.
Airport officials have confirmed that the system works well and has helped hundreds of extra flights land in time, but it requires airlines to have technical training to use it. WestJet and AirCanada have both confirmed that their planes are ready and technically compatible with the technology, while Porter and Flair airlines have stated that they are operating at a lower level of technology due to a "required change in pilot training and maintenance items onboard".
The systems were installed in 2016 and tested successfully. However, CBC reported that despite the airport's announcement of successful landings on Twitter, most flights later that day were still either cancelled or delayed.
Per Euro Control's information website Skybrary, an Instrument Landing System (ILS) is defined as a precision runway approach aid based on two radio beams which together provide pilots with both vertical and horizontal guidance during an approach to land.
Airport officials have confirmed that the system works well and has helped hundreds of extra flights land in time, but it requires airlines to have technical training to use it. WestJet and AirCanada have both confirmed that their planes are ready and technically compatible with the technology, while Porter and Flair airlines have stated that they are operating at a lower level of technology due to a "required change in pilot training and maintenance items onboard".
"We have had a lot more low visibility operations than typical," Scott Mercer, who helps run infrastructure at the airport, told CTV National News. "It's all weather driven, there's nothing from the infrastructure point of view right now that's causing less flights."
The bad weather and low visibility conditions, however, have not deterred tourists visiting the province.
Meteorologists expect the conditions to last until Friday. The Weather Channel's predictions show wind and a 60 percent chance of rain showers continuing tonight and most of tomorrow morning, along with 2mm to 4mm of fog in onshore winds and cloudy conditions. Later tonight, after the wind becomes lighter, rainy conditions might continue but the fog might dissipate by early noon tomorrow.
The bad weather and low visibility conditions, however, have not deterred tourists visiting the province.
Meteorologists expect the conditions to last until Friday. The Weather Channel's predictions show wind and a 60 percent chance of rain showers continuing tonight and most of tomorrow morning, along with 2mm to 4mm of fog in onshore winds and cloudy conditions. Later tonight, after the wind becomes lighter, rainy conditions might continue but the fog might dissipate by early noon tomorrow.
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