Airlines and airports across the Sunshine State are instituting operational contingency plans in preparation for Hurricane Ian.
On Tuesday afternoon, Hurricane Ian – a category 3 major hurricane – was slowly heading toward Florida after making landfall in western Cuba earlier in the day. Throughout the day, models were trending south and east with the storm, and a direct strike on the Tampa Bay area was not as sure as it was a day ago.
Whether or not Ian makes landfall in the Tampa Bay area or closer to Naples on Florida’s southwest Gulf coast, the impact on commerce and infrastructure will be “devastating to catastrophic,” according to the National Weather Service office in Tampa.
Ian is expected to make landfall between Tampa and Fort Myers sometime Wednesday afternoon or evening.
Hurricane Ian Airport Closures
In advance of the storm, many airports throughout south and central Florida have suspended – or will suspend – operations for the duration of Ian’s rampage. Once it is safe to do so, officials will assess the damage and open airports only when it is safe to do so.
Gulf Coast
Tampa International Airport (TPA): Suspended operations at 1700 Tuesday. The airport is closed to all passengers and visitors. Some essential employees will remain on-site throughout the storm, according to the airport’s Twitter account @flytpa.
St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE): Suspended operations at 1300 Tuesday. PIE is in a mandatory evacuation zone and will remain closed until the evacuation order ends. The airport will provide updates via @iflypie on Twitter.
Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ): Operations were suspended as of 1800 Tuesday. The airport will be closed to the public beginning at 2000 Tuesday. The airport will provide updates via @SRQAirport on Twitter.
Punta Gorda Airport (PGD): Airport officials say they plan to remain open “as long as operations are safe.” Aircraft and tower operations will be suspended if sustained winds greater than 45mph are observed. At present, only Allegiant Airlines serves PGD. Allegiant’s last outbound flight departed Tuesday at 1320. The carrier has canceled all flights for Wednesday, 28 September, and Thursday, 29 September. The airport will continue to provide updates via its website, flypgd.com.
Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW): Operations will be suspended at 2100 Tuesday evening. The airport will also close at that time. Airport officials will provide updates via its Facebook page.
Key West International Airport (EYW): The airport was closed on Tuesday and has not provided an update for operations on Wednesday, 28 September. As of late Tuesday afternoon, EYW is experiencing tropical storm force winds as Ian passes to the west. Once the storm passes, the airport will provide updates through its website, eyw.com.
Central Florida
Orlando International Airport (MCO): All operations will cease beginning Wednesday, 28 September, at 1030. Updates will be provided via @mco on Twitter.
Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB): All operations were suspended at 1700 Tuesday. Additionally, all flights are canceled through at least Friday morning, 30 September. The airport will provide updates via @FlySanford on Facebook.
Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB): Operations will cease beginning at 1400 on Wednesday, 28 September. MLB officials say they will reopen as quickly as possible once the storm passes and conditions are safe enough. Updates will be provided via @FlyMLB on Twitter.
Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB): As of 1645 on Tuesday, 27 September, normal operations continue at DAB. However, American Airlines preemptively canceled the remaining arrivals on Tuesday evening, all flights on Wednesday, 28 September, and the first outbound departure on Thursday, 29 September. Updates will be provided via @FlyDAB on Twitter.
Elsewhere in Florida
As of Tuesday evening, normal operations continue at Miami International Airport (MIA), Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), Palm Beach International Airport (PBI), and Jacksonville International Airport (JAX). However, each airport notes that individual airlines may decide to cancel flights even if the airports remain open.
Most airlines have announced weather waivers for anyone traveling into or out of Florida throughout the next few days.
Some airlines, such as Southwest, have even extended travel waivers through Sunday, 2 October for cities like Charleston, SC (CHS) and Savannah, GA (SAV) as the remnants of Ian move through the southeastern United States.
NASA officials on Tuesday also made the decision to roll back the Artemis-1 moon rocket to the Vehicular Assembly Building (VAB) at Kennedy Space Center ahead of Hurricane Ian.
