As Hurricane Milton, a Category 4 storm with top sustained winds near 145 mph, approaches Florida’s west coast, airlines, theme parks, and cruise lines are taking precautions. Tampa International Airport and Orlando International Airport have suspended operations, with over 750 flights canceled on Wednesday. Southwest Airlines has struck 402 flights from its total Wednesday schedule.
Major theme parks, including Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort, will be closed on Wednesday and likely remain closed on Thursday. Busch Gardens Tampa and SeaWorld Orlando will also be closed for several days. Cruise lines, such as Carnival, have warned that ports in Jacksonville, Tampa, and Miami are likely to close, and they will be changing some routes and destinations to avoid the storm.
Airlines have waived change fees and fare differences for affected customers, and some have added extra flights out of Florida ahead of the expected landfall. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has issued a state of emergency for more than 50 Florida counties in preparation for Hurricane Milton’s arrival.
