A message board at the Tampa International Airport shows all American Airlines departing flight canceled Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, in Tampa, Fla., due to the possible arrival of Hurricane Milton.
Chris O’Meara | AP
Airlines canceled hundreds of flights, theme parks prepared to close some areas and cruise lines shifted routes as Floridians braced for Hurricane Milton’s landfall.
The Category 4 storm has top sustained winds near 145 miles per hour and is expected to strike Florida’s west coast on Wednesday, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. More than 50 Florida counties are under a state of emergency.
Tampa International Airport suspended operations at 9 a.m. ET on Tuesday and said it would “repoen when safe to do so.”
Orlando International Airport will close at 8 a.m. on Wednesday. Southwest Airlines, which has about a fifth of the market share in Orlando, has struck 402 flights from its total Wednesday schedule, according to FlightAware data.
Southwest Airlines employees cover the ticket counters with plastic wrap just before Tampa International Airport was closing due to the possible arrival of Hurricane Milton Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, in Tampa, Fla.
Chris O’Meara | AP
More than 750 Orlando flights, over 85% of the Wednesday schedule, were canceled, according to FlightAware. Most of the flights in and out of Tampa and Southwest Florida International Airport, which serves Ft. Myers, were also canceled for Wednesday.
Carriers waived change fees and fare differences for affected customers. American Airlines and United Airlines added extra flights out of Florida ahead of Milton’s expected landfall.
Meanwhile, Disney said its Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, the Copper Creek Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, and Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa will close temporarily starting Wednesday at 11 a.m.
Universal Orlando Resort’s website said “at this time, our park operations and hours are continuing as normal” but it encouraged visitors to check back for updates.
Busch Gardens Tampa will be closed Tuesday through Thursday, United Parks said. “SeaWorld Orlando remains OPEN. We continue to monitor conditions and the path of Hurricane Milton,” it said on its website.
Carnival warned customers that ports in Jacksonville, Tampa and Miami were likely to close and that it would change some routes and destinations to avoid the storm.
Disclosure: Comcast owns NBCUniversal, the parent company of Universal Studios and CNBC.
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