'Welcome To Mars'; SFO Passengers Describe Eye-Popping Aerial Images Of Smoky Skies

SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (CBS SF) -- Airport operations in the Bay Area were not affected by the smoke layer that blanketed skies Wednesday. But for those flying into the Bay Area, it was an incredible way to experience this remarkable day.

The relatively few passengers who made their way through SFO Wednesday all have a story, and probably a few pictures to share.

"Well, everything was normal until we started getting close to home and everything turned bright orange," said Christin Zuraek, just returning to San Francisco with her daughter.

Passenger Marion Weiler snapped pictures all the way home and said he was not prepared for the end of his plane trip.

"As we were coming down, probably up over the North Bay or something, you started descending into this and you knew immediately,"  said Weiler. "The whole plane, the light inside the cabin turned this yellowish red, and it got black, like at night. It was unbelievable."

"We were above the clouds, and we started descending into SFO, we had a layer of really bad smoke," said a passenger from LAX named Spencer. "The pilot even apologized over the intercom for how much smoke was getting into the plane."

No one was expecting just how dramatic things would look when they got here.

"That's what I've heard," Zuraek laughed. "My husband said welcome to Mars."

"We've been in the Bay Area for about 40 years," said Weiler. "We've never seen it like this. It's just unreal. It's unprecedented."