Florida travelers faced mounting flight disruptions Thursday as Hurricane Isaias approached the northern Gulf Coast, with the Federal Aviation Administration warning that the storm could close Gulf oceanic routes and that thunderstorms could delay flights in Orlando, Tampa, Miami and Fort Lauderdale.
Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport at Eglin Air Force Base said it would end all operations at 9 p.m. CT Thursday, Oct. 8, until further notice. FlightAware showed 18 cancellations at the airport as of about 8 a.m. ET.
Flight delays were also reported Thursday morning at airports around the state. Tampa International Airport had 13 delays and one cancellation, while Orlando International and Miami International each reported nine delays. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport had seven delays and four cancellations, according to FlightAware figures cited in the report.
Florida airports recorded nearly 830 delayed flights on Oct. 7, amid broader weather-related disruption along the East Coast. Airports in Pensacola, Tampa and Sarasota were monitoring Isaias and directing passengers to check directly with their airlines for current flight information.
The storm was forecast to make landfall between eastern Mississippi and an area west of Panama City Beach late Friday or early Saturday. A hurricane warning was in effect from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, to the Bay-Gulf County line in Florida.
Travelers whose flights are canceled can use their airline's app to seek a new itinerary promptly. The report also notes that passengers who decline alternative travel after a cancellation are entitled to a full refund; the same applies to significant delays or changes.
