A message board on the Tampa International Airport shows all American Airlines departing flight canceled Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, in Tampa, Fla., as a result of the possible arrival of Hurricane Milton.
Chris O’Meara | AP
Airlines canceled a whole bunch of flights, theme parks prepared to shut and cruise lines shifted routes as Floridians braced for Hurricane Milton’s landfall.
The Category 4 storm has top sustained winds near 145 mph and is predicted to strike Florida’s west coast on Wednesday, in response to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Greater than 50 Florida counties are under a state of emergency.
Tampa International Airport suspended operations at 9 a.m. ET on Tuesday and said it might “repoen when protected to accomplish that.”
Orlando International Airport will close at 8 a.m. on Wednesday. Southwest Airlines, which has a couple of fifth of the market share in Orlando, has struck 402 flights from its total Wednesday schedule, in response to FlightAware data.
Greater than 750 Orlando flights, over 85% of the Wednesday schedule, were canceled, in response to FlightAware. A lot of the flights out and in of Tampa and Southwest Florida International Airport, which serves Fort Myers, were also canceled for Wednesday.
Carriers waived change fees and fare differences for affected customers. American Airlines and United Airlines added extra flights out of Florida ahead of Milton’s expected landfall.
Southwest Airlines employees cover the ticket counters with plastic wrap just before Tampa International Airport was closing as a result of the possible arrival of Hurricane Milton Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, in Tampa, Fla.
Chris O’Meara | AP
Disney said Tuesday that it should close its Orlando-area theme parks on Wednesday starting at 1 p.m. ET and they’ll likely remain closed on Thursday.
“We are going to consider opening Disney Springs on Thursday within the late afternoon, with limited offerings,” the corporate said.
Universal Orlando Resort said Tuesday that Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure and Universal CityWalk will close at 2 p.m. ET Wednesday and remain closed on Thursday.
Busch Gardens Tampa shall be closed Tuesday through Thursday, while SeaWorld Orlando will close Wednesday and Thursday, United Parks said.
Carnival warned customers that ports in Jacksonville, Tampa and Miami were prone to close and that it might change some routes and destinations to avoid the storm.
Disclosure: Comcast owns NBCUniversal, the parent company of Universal Studios and CNBC.
