Airlines were forced to cancel over 1,000 flights on Wednesday due to Hurricane Idalia, which led to airport closures in Florida and disrupted air travel across the Southern United States just before a busy holiday weekend.
In anticipation of the storm, carriers, airports, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) began their preparations early in the week. Tampa International Airport, located in Florida,
took proactive measures by shutting down on Tuesday to move aircraft and equipment out of harm's way.
Several airlines were significantly affected by the storm. Southwest Airlines, which has a strong presence in Florida, canceled more than 220 flights on Wednesday.
Delta Air Lines, based in Atlanta, canceled 160 flights, while American Airlines canceled 150, as reported by tracking service FlightAware.
The FAA warned that the impact of the storm could extend beyond the immediate area where it made landfall and advised travelers to check with their airlines before heading to the airport.
Southwest Airlines informed its customers that flights to and from nearly a dozen destinations in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina could face disruptions through Thursday.
They also offered passengers the option to rebook their flights, and other airlines issued similar waivers.
Tampa International Airport's decision to close was based on concerns about storm surge vulnerability, even though the hurricane wasn't directly on its path.
Fortunately, the airport experienced minimal damage from the storm, and flooding on the airfield did not affect the runways.
The airport planned to reopen for incoming flights on Wednesday afternoon and restore outbound service early on Thursday.
Joe Lopano, the airport's chief executive, expressed gratitude that the airport had avoided the worst effects of the dangerous storm
and highlighted their cautious approach to protecting the safety of passengers, employees, and facilities.
The FAA expected a busy travel period on Wednesday and Thursday as flights increased ahead of the Labor Day weekend
They anticipated that Thursday would see the highest traffic, with more than 52,000 flights.
However, it remained uncertain on Wednesday how the storm might continue to affect holiday travel.