Hurricane Isaias is quickly approaching landfall on the northern Gulf Coast, prompting some Florida airports to close early.
The hurricane may affect Californians with travel plans to Florida, which meteorologists expect to make landfall Friday night or Saturday morning as a Category 2 hurricane with 110 mph winds.
Your airline should notify travelers with flights booked to Florida if your flight will be affected by airport closures.
Here is what we know.
What Florida airports are closed?
The Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport (VPS) at Eglin Air Force Base will end all airport operations at 9 p.m. CT Thursday, Oct. 8, "until further notice," the airport said on its webpage.
Pensacola International Airport (PNS) announced it will close all commercial operations at 10 a.m. CT on Friday.
The airport will open again based on damage assessments and safety confirmations.
Tampa (TPA) and Sarasota (SRQ) are closely monitoring the storm's path and urge travelers to check directly with their airlines for up-to-date flight information.
"Hurricane Isaias may cause Gulf route closures. Thunderstorm delays are possible in Orlando (MCO), Tampa (TPA), Miami (MIA), and Fort Lauderdale (FLL)," the Federal Aviation Administration said Oct. 9 in its daily traffic report.
What airlines fly to Florida?
Several airlines fly from California to Florida, offering budget, nonstop and connecting services.
- American Airlines
- Delta Air Lines
- Southwest Airlines
- Frontier Airlines
- JetBlue Airways
- Alaska Airlines
- Breeze Airways
How do I check if my flight is canceled?
Don't wait until you're already at the airport to check your flight. Monitor your flight early and often, starting now, as cancellations will increase as the weather conditions worsen.
Download your airline’s mobile app and turn on push and text notifications for flight alerts. Some apps have a “Where’s My Plane?” feature that lets you see whether the aircraft scheduled to operate your flight has arrived, is delayed en route, or hasn’t departed yet from its previous airport. That can be an early signal of trouble.
You can also visit FlightAware.com for real-time flight information and see which flights are delayed or canceled.
What am I owed if my flight is canceled or delayed?
According to DOT rules, passengers are entitled to a full refund if an airline cancels their flight, regardless of the reason, and they choose not to rebook. The same goes for “significant” delays or changes.
Those include arrivals at least three hours later than originally scheduled on domestic trips, and international flights that get in at least six hours late. The DOT maintains a list of qualifying scenarios on its website, along with a dashboard of airline commitments for controllable delays and cancellations.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Flying to Florida from California? Hurricane Isaias flight impacts
