- Strong winds and wildfires in Los Angeles are disrupting air travel.
- Several airlines have waived change fees for flights to Los Angeles and Orange County.
- Some flights to Burbank were diverted, and passengers photographed the fires from the skies.
The wildfires devastating Los Angeles and the strong winds intensifying them are disrupting air travel in and around the city.
Los Angeles International Airport, or LAX, has remained open throughout the fires and continues to be operational, a spokesperson told Business Insider on Friday.
The airport is advising passengers to check their flight status with their airline.
Since the fires erupted on Tuesday, 126 flights have been canceled at LAX, FlightAware data showed.
Wednesday was the worst day at the city’s main airport, with one in five departures being delayed, according to FlightAware.
LAX typically has about 700 flights a day. It’s more than 10 miles away from the largest blaze, the Palisades Fire.
Other airports in the area also remained open but faced disruption.
A spokesperson for Hollywood Burbank Airport told Business Insider that on Wednesday, 41 of its scheduled 70 departures were canceled due to winds. It recorded gusts above 80 miles an hour. Officials expect winds to be moderate over the weekend but said they could pick up again early next week.
Several carriers have issued waivers for change fees, including American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and JetBlue. The waivers apply to travel to or from LAX, Hollywood Burbank Airport, Ontario International Airport, and Santa Ana’s John Wayne Airport.
Santa Monica Airport is the closest to the wildfires, about three miles south of an evacuation zone for the Palisades Fire. It is a general aviation airport, which means commercial flights don’t typically operate there.
Aviation is also playing a key role in fighting the wildfires. The Los Angeles Fire Department said 12 helicopters and six fixed-wing aircraft were in operation.
The FAA issued two temporary flight restrictions on Thursday near the fires in order to keep the area clear for firefighting aviation operations.
At least 10 people have died and over 150,000 have been ordered to evacuate due to the wildfires. Another 166,000 have been warned to be ready in case winds pick up again and the fires spreads.
