ATLANTA — Hurricane Ian has driven airlines to cancel hundreds of flights to and from Florida on Wednesday and Thursday.
Tampa International Airport suspended all operations starting Tuesday at 5 p.m. to secure jet bridges, ground equipment and aircraft in advance of the storm, and said it planned to assess damage as soon as it is safe to do so. Nearly 150 flights in and out of Tampa were canceled Tuesday, according to FlightAware.com.
On Wednesday, airlines canceled hundreds more flights in and out of multiple airports in Florida, including Orlando, Miami, Tampa, Fort Myers and Fort Lauderdale, FlightAware data show. Orlando International Airport is suspending operations at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. The flight cancellations at Florida airports continue into Thursday.
The Florida flight cancellations include some flights in and out of Atlanta, with more than 100 flights canceled at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on Wednesday, according to FlightAware.
Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines said it halted operations at Tampa, Sarasota and Fort Myers airports on Tuesday evening, as it moves aircraft and crew out of Hurricane Ian’s path. It is suspending flights in Orlando on Wednesday. Delta said it would resume flights at those Florida airports on Friday if conditions allow.
Delta and other carriers are allowing more flexibility to change travel plans for travelers with flights booked to and from a number of airports in Georgia and Florida, warning their flights could also be disrupted by wind and other conditions due to Hurricane Ian.
Delta is allowing customers who have flights booked to, from or through Brunswick, Columbus, Valdosta and Savannah, Georgia; Hilton Head Island, South Carolina; Daytona Beach, Panama City, Key West, Fort Lauderdale, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Orlando, Miami, Melbourne, West Palm Beach, Pensacola, Fort Myers, Sarasota, Tallahassee, Tampa and Fort Walton Beach, Florida Sept. 27-30 to rebook those flights by Oct. 3 without paying a difference in fare.
Dallas-based Southwest, the second-largest carrier at Hartsfield-Jackson, is allowing customers scheduled to travel to, from or through Destin, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Havana, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, Panama City, Sarasota, Tampa and West Palm Beach Sept. 25-Oct. 2 to change their flights without paying an additional charge. Southwest is also offering rebooking flexibility for passengers scheduled to travel to, from or through Savannah and Charleston, South Carolina.
