Tropical Storm Nicole: Travel impact in Florida
This GOES-East GoeColor satellite image taken at 2:36 p.m. EST and provided by NOAA shows Tropical Storm Nicole approaching toward the northwestern Bahamas and Florida’s Atlantic coastline on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022.
NOAA | AP
Tropical Storm Nicole snarled Florida travel Wednesday, prompting at least one airport to suspend operations as forecasters warned of “hurricane conditions” for the state’s east coast.
Orlando International Airport said it would suspend operations from 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday “until circumstances permit operations resume.”
Miramar, Florida-based Spirit Airlines, said it would waive change fees and fare differences for Fort Lauderdale and Miami flights through Nov. 14 and Orlando flights through Nov. 16. The budget carrier said it would continue waiving change fees after that but that passengers would have to pay the difference in fare.
Other airlines including JetBlue, which has a large operation in Fort Lauderdale, and Southwest, American and Delta, also waived fees for travelers affected by the storm.
The storm is threatening the state about a month and a half after Hurricane Ian slammed into Florida, causing severe damage in the Fort Meyers and Naples areas and other parts of its Gulf Coast.
Spirit said Hurricane Ian cost it up to $15 million through the fourth quarter due to lower bookings and canceled flights.