Tui cancels flight to Florida from UK ahead of Hurricane Milton (original) (raw)

TUI has cancelled a flight from the UK to Florida and is monitoring several others in the coming days due to Hurricane Milton. The Category 4 storm is set to hit land on Wednesday in the Tampa Bay area.

The airline was forced to cancel the flight due to the closure of Melbourne International Airport on Wednesday, October 9. It said that the “safety of our customers is our top priority”.

Melbourne Orlando International Airport announced that it would close to commercial flight operations from 2pm local time on Wednesday until 9am on Friday. It urged passengers to check with their airlines for further information.

READ MORE: Hurricane Milton warning as Florida homes evacuated just days after Helene destruction

In a statement on its website, TUI said: “The safety of our customers is our top priority, and we are closely monitoring the path of Hurricane Milton which is forecast to be a storm of significant strength and pass over Florida from Wednesday. As a result Melbourne International Airport is expected to be extremely disrupted, as will our flying programme.

Heavy traffic in Florida as residents evacuate

Residents evacuate from coastal regions in Florida (Image: Getty Images)

As a result of the closure of Melbourne International Airport, we have made the difficult decision to cancel flight TOM070 from London Gatwick Airport on Wednesday the 9th of October. We are contacting customers directly to discuss their options.

In regards to flights planned for Thursday the 10th October, we are still closely monitoring the situation and will update customers as soon as possible. These flights include:

For customers already in Florida, TUI said: “Tropical storms and hurricanes are not uncommon in the area and our hotels and resort teams are experienced in preparing for them.

“If you’re at your destination already, for your safety and wellbeing please follow any instructions given by your hotel management and resort teams. If you need any additional support, you can contact us via the TUI app, our TUI Guest Experience Centre on +44 2038303111 or speak to your local representative.”

Hurricane Milton has made its way across the Gulf of Mexico and although scientists expect it to weaken before making landfall, it could still be at hurricane-strength. Evacuation orders have already been issued for residents along the Gulf coast and forecasters warn of a possible storm surge of up to 12 feet in the region.

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