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Hurricane Ian: Delta cancels flights, halts operations to Florida airports ahead of storm

By FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
Updated  September 28, 2022 9:22am EDT
Hurricane Ian
FOX 5 Atlanta

Hurricane Ian strengthens to extremely dangerous Category 4 storm

After increasing in strength overnight, Hurricane Ian is now heading to Florida as a dangerous Category Four storm. FOX 5 Storm Team's Joanne Feldman tracks the storm's path and how the hurricane could affect Georgia later this week.

ATLANTA - Delta Air Lines has stopped operations at multiple Florida airports as Hurricane Ian gainS strength and gets closer to making landfall. 

The Atlanta-based airline says that starting Tuesday night, the company has halted operations at Tampa International Airport, Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, and Southwest Florida Airport. Beginning Wednesday, Delta will not operate out of Orlando International Airport. 

According to the website FlightAware.com, Delta had canceled 190 flights scheduled for this week - the majority of which were flying to or from Florida destinations.

TRACKING IAN: GEORGIA RAMPS UP OPERATIONS AS STORM STRENGTHENS TO CAT. 4

In a statement, Delta says it is monitoring the weather and will resume flights at the airports on Friday if conditions allow. 

The company expects to continue operations at other Florida airports but is urging customers to watch their flight status closely to be aware of any delays or cancelations due to wins or other conditions caused by the storm.

Delta is also offering a waiver for any customers impact by Hurricane Ian, expanding the number of destinations in Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina where customers affected by storm can rebook flights without having to deal with higher prices. The rebooked travel must occur on or before Oct. 3 and be the same cabin of service as the original booking. 

Hurricane Ian has rapidly strengthened as it got close to hitting Florida’s southwest coast, gaining top winds of 155 mph, just shy of the most dangerous Category 5 status. 

Damaging winds and rain have already lashed the state, and the heavily populated Naples to Sarasota region was at highest risk of a devastating storm surge.

GOV. KEMP DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY FOR GEORGIA AHEAD OF HURRICANE IAN 

As of Wednesday morning, FlightAware.com reports that more than 1500 flights both in and out of Florida airports have been canceled with nearly 100% of flights out of Tampa International and 95% flights out of Southwest Florida International affected.

In Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp has issued a state of emergency, ordering 500 National Guard troops onto standby to respond as needed.