Emirates cancels flights to Florida ahead of Hurricane Dorian
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Emirates airline has cancelled flights to Florida ahead of Hurricane Dorian’s predicted arrival in the southeast United States tomorrow, Monday, September 2.
Flights EK219 and EK220 to and from Orlando, Florida have been cancelled and affected passengers are being rebooked on alternate flights, said an Emirates spokesperson.
"Passengers holding tickets to and from Orlando are advised to contact their local Emirates office and check the status of their flights on emirates.com for the latest updates," said the airline.
The cancellations came after Orlando International Airport announced it would close ahead of Storm Dorian’s landfall on the United States mainland. The path of the weather force has since shifted causing airport authorities to retract cancellation plans, but both Emirates flights remain cancelled.
Airport closures
Orlando International Airport will continue with operations on Monday, September 2, according to a statement from airport authorities who will also closely monitor the path of the storm.
Orlando’s Melbourne International Airport will close at 6pm on Monday, September 2. “Airport officials continue to monitor #HurricaneDorian” tweeted the airport.
MLB Update #4: The planned closure of MLB's Terminal has been pushed back to 6:00pm on Monday, Sept 2. Airport officials continue to monitor #HurricaneDorian and are working w/ the airlines to continue commercial operations until weather no longer permits safe operations.
LPIA is open and operating today and it is anticipated the airport will be open for operations tomorrow, Sunday, September 1, 2019. Travelers should contact their airlines for flight updates as airline schedules may vary. Visit http://www.nassaulpia.com for the latest updates.
Nassau Airport remains open with authorities closely monitoring the storms' approach. Miami International airport is operating as normal, but passengers have been advised to expect delays.
Changing travel plans
Passengers due to travel in or out of Florida this week could opt to change flight plans as many airlines are offering fee waivers.
Jet Blue, American Airlines, British Airways and Alaska Airlines are among the airlines waiving charges to change tickets. Some 32 airports across the United States are included in the fee waivers.
Emirates passengers booked for travel to Florida on a ticket purchased before August 30, 2019 and up to September 4, 2019 can delay their flight for up to seven days after the original date of travel with no change fee.
Airports in Atlanta, Baltimore and Minneapolis are set to be busier than normal and passengers travelling from these destinations have been advised to arrive early for flights.
According to tracking site Flight Aware, 350 flights have been cancelled in, out and within the United States tomorrow, Monday, September 2.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration advised that tropical storm force winds in the Florida region look set to be at their highest from Sunday afternoon to Monday morning. These winds could affect flights trying to land or take off from airports in and around the area.
Ahead of Storm Dorian's arrival the UAE Embassy evacuated 70 people from Florida. Due to the high uncertainty of the storm path, the embassy has also issued warnings to Emiratis living in or due to travel to Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.
Source: https://www.thenational.ae