Mr.Tee
As Hurricane Helene intensifies and nears Florida’s coast, flight disruptions continue to escalate across the southeastern U.S. Over 1,000 flights have already been canceled with many more delayed. According to FlightAware, over 900 flights were canceled by Thursday morning with Tampa International Airport suspending all operations. Southwest Airlines leads the cancellations with over 200 flights grounded, followed by Delta and American Airlines. Airports in major hubs like Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach are also experiencing significant delays and cancellations.
Helene, now a Category 2 storm, is expected to make landfall along Florida’s Big Bend area bringing life-threatening storm surges and heavy rain. The National Weather Service has warned of potentially catastrophic flooding inland and along the coast. In response, several airlines including American, Southwest and JetBlue, have issued travel advisories for affected regions.
Travelers impacted by flight cancellations should be aware of their rights as federal regulations require airlines to offer refunds for canceled flights. However, delays caused by weather events like hurricanes typically do not qualify for compensation. Airlines are urging passengers to check their flights and consider rebooking as soon as possible to avoid further disruption.
