Vinod Sreeharsha | (TNS) Miami Herald
MIAMI — Florida travelers will likely face delays and cancellations this week from Hurricane Milton, just two weeks after disruption from Hurricane Helene.
Flights and cruise ships already are being affected by the hurricane, which is heading to Florida’s Gulf Coast and forecast to make landfall on Wednesday.
Tampa International Airport says it will suspend operations beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8. The airport will remain closed “until it can assess any damage after the storm.”
Airport workers will prepare the airfield and terminals, “including the securing of jet bridges, ground equipment and any remaining aircraft, before the storm arrives.”
Officials said the airport will reopen when “it is safe to do so.”
Travelers scheduled to fly in or out of Tampa International Airport are urged to continually check with their airlines for latest updates.
Here’s what’s happening so far with travel to and from Florida:
Airports
Tampa: The airport will close 9 a.m. Tuesday for an undetermined amount of time. The airport has advised travelers that the main terminals “will not be open for public use and is not equipped to function as a shelter for people or vehicles.” Emergency services will not be able to respond to calls or transport people to or from the airport.
Miami: The airport is open and operational and a “minimal impact on flights” as of 8 a.m. Monday, Oct, 7, said Greg Chin, communications director for Miami-Dade Aviation Department. But he noted, “we may start seeing flights be affected” later Monday more likely on Tuesday, Oct. 8.
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood: The airport is open and operational. But anyone traveling through Wednesday should check with their airlines.
How can you check your flight status?
Miami International Airport has two online trackers you can use.
One of the flight trackers shows a list of all expected arrivals and departures with options to use a drop-down menu to narrow results. It displays the carrier, flight number and where the plane is going to or coming from. It also gives real-time updates on the flight’s arrival or departure status, which concourse the terminal is in and the location of baggage claim.
The other online tool lets you track by flight or route. If you know the carrier, the date and the flight number, this tool might be easier to use because it will only show information for your flight.
FLL’s flight tracker works by flight or route. You’ll need to know the date, along with the airline carrier and flight number or the departure and arrival airport. The tool also gives people the option to see a list of all expected arrivals and departures and details on the flight’s terminal and baggage claim, too.
Tampa International Airport — and Orlando International Airport — both have similar online trackers on their websites.
You can also check your flight status with the airline directly, which might be easier to do through the airline’s app. But you can also check via the airline’s website.
Cruises
Cruise carriers have changed several ports of call.
Royal Caribbean:
The following changes have been made, according to Nathaniel Derrenbacher, manager of corporate communications for the cruise line:
- Grandeur of the Seas: Oct. 7 departure will do an Eastern Caribbean sailing and go to Nassau, Bahamas on Oct. 10 and skip Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico
- Independence of the Seas: Oct. 5 sailing will go to Puerto Plata Oct. 8 instead of Cozumel
- Harmony of the Seas: Oct. 6 sailing will skip Roatan, Honduras on Oct. 9 and go to Costa Maya, Mexico instead.
- Symphony of the Seas: Oct. 6 sailing will skip Orlando/Port Canaveral, Perfect Day CocoCay, and Nassau, Bahamas and go to Puerto Plata Oct. 9, followed by Labadee, Haiti on Oct. 10 instead.
- Wonder of the Seas: Oct. 6 sailing will go to Falmouth, Jamaica, on Oct. 9, skip Roatan, Honduras on Oct. 10 and Costa Maya, Mexico Oct. 11 and go to Cozumel on Oct. 11 instead (originally Oct. 9)
- Celebrity Reflection: Oct. 7 sailing will skip its call to Key West, FL and go to Nassau, Bahamas instead Oct. 8
- Utopia of the Seas: Oct. 7 sailing will go to Perfect Day CocoCay on Oct. 8 and Nassau, Bahamas on Oct. 10 (swapping days)
Carnival: According to spokesperson Matt Lupoli, the following ship’s itineraries are being closely watched for potential adjustments:
- From Tampa: Carnival Paradise
- From New Orleans: Carnival Valor and Carnival Liberty
- From Jacksonville: Carnival Elation
- From Port Canaveral: Carnival Glory
- From PortMiami: Carnival Sunrise
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