Travellers hoping to travel to Florida from Glasgow or Edinburgh airport could face cancellations as Hurricane Milton batters the US.
Both Tampa and Orlando airports have been closed due to “severe weather conditions” after a state of emergency was declared ahead of the category five hurricane.
After the forecast that the hurricane is expected to sweep through the state today, Disney World has closed its park until at least tomorrow, October 10, along with Universal Orlando, reports Glasgow Live.
The closures come as President Joe Biden warns the storm could be one of the worst in 100 years.
More than six million people have been warned to evacuate the area ahead of the storm, with airlines including TUI, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways having cancelled or delayed flights to Florida – including from Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Orlando Airport closed at 8am (local time) today and is scheduled to reopen at 6pm (local time) on Thursday, October 10. Meanwhile, Tampa Airport has been closed since Tuesday and is due to reopen from 8am on Friday, October 11.
TUI has already cancelled a flight today, with more being ‘watched’ although are also likely to be cancelled. They include the TOM742 from Glasgow Airport which was due to depart on Thursday, October 10.
A TUI spokesperson said: “The safety of our customers is our top priority, and we are closely monitoring the path of Hurricane Milton which is forecast to be a storm of significant strength and pass over Florida from Wednesday. As a result Melbourne International Airport is expected to be extremely disrupted, as will our flying programme.
“The two flights scheduled to operate to Melbourne International Airport on Thursday 10th October will unfortunately not operate as planned. We intend to delay these flights for a minimum of 24 hours and operate them on Friday 11 th October.
“We will be in contact with customers directly to confirm their new flight times.”
The following Virgin Atlantic flights from Edinburgh Airport are affected:
Wednesday 9 October – VS225 – Edinburgh to Orlando has been delayed by 23 hours and is expected to operate on October 10.
Thursday 10 October – VS225 – Edinburgh – Orlando has been delayed by a further 23 hours and will now operate on Friday 11 October.
A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson said: “Due to severe weather conditions expected to be caused by Hurricane Milton, a state of emergency has been declared in Florida, and Tampa and Orlando airports are closing. Unfortunately this has impacted our flying schedule, and services to and from Orlando and Tampa are subject to cancellations and delays.
“The safety and welfare of our customers and crew is our top priority and we are contacting any Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Atlantic Holidays customers who may be impacted by the hurricane to discuss their options and we ask that anyone travelling checks the status of their flights on virginatlantic.com for the latest information.
“We’d like to thank our customers for their patience as we work through the impact of Hurricane Milton.”
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has advised travellers to keep an eye on the US National Hurricane Centre website for storm updates and heed local authority instructions, including evacuation orders.
The FCDO also recommends checking with airlines or travel agents regarding potential disruptions. An FCDO spokesperson stated: “We are closely monitoring the development of Hurricane Milton towards the United States. We urge all British nationals in Florida or travelling to the region to follow travel advice and guidance from local authorities.”
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