Hurricane Milton is still causing flight chaos throughout Florida. While heading toward the Gulf Coast of the state, quite a few flight cancellations, as well as airport closures, have been recorded. Details of what is happening at the current moment, the step showing how one can check if a flight is affected, and what to do in order to make a claim if necessary, follows below.
Current impact on flights
In fact, over 1,500 flights have already been axed because of Hurricane Milton, as of October 9. At least two major Florida airports, Tampa International Airport and Orlando International Airport, had stopped flying well in advance of the storm. Tampa International Airport shut down at 9 a.m. on October 8, while Orlando will shut down at 8 a.m. on October 9.
These cancellations largely included flights to and from Florida, although airlines such as American Airlines, Delta, and Southwest have issued travel waivers to customers. Travelers are now in the dark over how to evacuate or change their plans and how exactly to deal with this disruption effectively.
How to check if your flight is affected
Travelers should do the following to find out if their flights are affected by Hurricane Milton:
- Check airline sites: Most airlines have no issues giving out up-to-the-minute statuses on flights. Many times, a quick check on the airline website or even downloading their app may update customers regarding cancellations and delays.
- Use flight tracking services: Third-party independent flight tracking services, such as FlightAware, allow users to track specific flights and access data about cancellations for airports across the United State.
- Customer service calls: If you are still unsure about just about anything, then calling the customer service number of your airline will help you with most of the queries related to flight status and rebooking options.
Filing a claim for cancellations
In case your flight was canceled because of Hurricane Milton, you may claim compensation or rebooking. Here’s how you can do it:
- Airline policies: Each airline has certain policies regarding cancellations due to bad weather. Most major airlines have waived off change fees for passengers traveling to and from Florida between October 8 and October 10.
- Document everything: Keep records of all communication with the airline-faxes, emails, texts, changes to your itinerary. This record-keeping will become important if you have to file a claim later.
- Claim a refund: If, due to the cancellation, you incurred additional expenditures-such as hotel stays or meals-consult your airline for reimbursement of such expenses. Some airlines require submission of receipts at the time of filing your claim.
Evacuations and alternative travel options
Apart from the flight cancellations, Hurricane Milton has enforced orders of evacuations across large regions on the Gulf Coast of Florida. With people vacating their homes, travel options have become one of the major concerns.
- Additional flights: Carriers are offering additional flights from all Florida airports to assist the needy. For instance, American Airlines announced adding over 2,000 seats from Tampa and Sarasota airports.
- Modification to cruises: Companies offering cruising services, like Royal Caribbean and Carnival, modify their programs with the aim of ensuring the security of the passengers against the hurricane.
It might also interest residents to know that there is a, FEMA disaster relief in Hurricane Milton disaster area: who is eligible, how to qualify, what are the benefits and where to apply
