Federal Aviation Administration says eclipse may affect air travel

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Air travel and traffic at airports is expected to be impacted as several travelers are going to multiple states to watch the eclipse on Monday.

The Federal Aviation Administration released a notice about special air traffic procedures mentioning the eclipse can likely impact airports along its path of travel continuing through Wednesday night. The FAA sent out a news release about flights possibly being impacted by the eclipse.

Travelers are planning to fly to the states where the eclipse is expected to be in full totality. From Texas to New England, the FAA said the airports in those states will be affected the most.

On Monday, those who are flying along the path of the eclipse could encounter limited parking and delays due to an increased amount of aircraft and drones in the sky.

In the release, the FAA said people driving to the airport should anticipate delays during peak traffic periods. Parking may be limited, especially when flying out of smaller airports.

Alica Lansford traveled to Columbia for a conference that happened to be scheduled on the day of the eclipse. She said she left from Tyler, Texas, a town expect to be in the path of totality, and that her day of travel was uneventful.

"I was going to need to leave early, but actually, it was really smooth," Lansford said. "We got into the Dallas-Fort worth airport, and surprisingly, there were no lines, and it was probably one of the smoothest travel days I've had in a while."

The FAA wants to make sure pilots are prepared for the eclipse along with the travelers. In the release they warn pilots of potential airborne holding, being rerouted and of arrival and departure times changing.

The FAA advises pilots that rely on visual flying to practice their approaches such as touch and goes, and to warn them that flight following services may be unavailable.