How airports and airlines are responding to Hurricane Ian

Airports and airlines are suspending operations in Florida due to safety concerns as Hurricane Ian is forecasted to turn into a Category 4 hurricane. 

Ian, currently a Category 3 hurricane, is expected to touch down Tuesday evening, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) saying more than 2 million people are under evacuation orders. 

Here’s a list of airports and airlines that have travel warnings in place: 

Orlando International Airport

Orlando International Airport announced early Tuesday afternoon that it will be stopping operations at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday due to the hurricane. 

The airport activated its “Emergency Operations Center” in preparation for the storm and said it expects to open back up Friday only after it “assesses all damage to airport property and facilities.”

Operational Update – Hurricane Ian
Commercial operations at MCO will cease at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, 09/28/22. Entry to all parking facilities will be closed at that same period. Please contact your airline for flight updates. pic.twitter.com/P75DooP2EA

— Orlando International Airport (@MCO) September 27, 2022

Tampa International Airport

Tampa International Airport announced Monday that operations would be suspended at 5 p.m. on Tuesday ahead of the storm. 

“The 5 p.m. closure will allow the airport to prepare the airfield and terminals, including the securing of jet bridges, ground equipment, and any remaining aircraft,” the statement said. 

The airport is expecting a high volume of travelers on Tuesday and told customers they should arrive at least two hours early for their flights. 

St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport

St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport announced on Monday that it would be suspending operations late Tuesday morning. 

The airport will be closed “until the mandatory evacuation has been lifted for Zone A, at a minimum.”

Delta Air Lines

Delta released a growing list of flights to and from Florida, starting Sept. 25, that will receive a waiver due to Hurricane Ian. 

As of Sept. 27, Delta has announced a waiver for flights to 16 different destinations in Florida, including Miami, Orlando and Key West. 

The waivers are in effect from Sept. 25 to Sept. 30. 

American Airlines

American Airlines has announced travel alerts for more than 20 airports in the Caribbean and Florida.

For airports in areas affected by the storm, American Airlines has waived check bag fees for up to two bags, lifted limits on the number of carry-on pets a person can take on a plane and will waive fees for those changing flights to a later date who don’t want to fly due to the hurricane.    

The airline is encouraging passengers to check the status of their flight before traveling to any airport in Florida. 

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines said Tuesday that it will begin suspending operations in Tampa and Fort Myers on Tuesday evening and has already stopped flights to Havana, Cuba. 

The airline announced it believes 10 different locations in Florida could see flight disruptions or cancellations from Sept. 25 to Sept. 30.

—Updated Wednesday at 10:58 a.m.