Airlines Add Last-Minute Flights as Milton Approaches Florida

09.10.2024 - 10:47 / skift.com / Pete Buttigieg / Delta Air Lines / Joe Biden / United Airlines / Meghna Maharishi

Airlines are making schedule adjustments for flights out of Florida as many residents are scrambling to evacuate due to Hurricane Milton. 

American Airlines said it added 2,000 additional seats out of Tampa and Sarasota for flights late Monday evening and Tuesday morning. Tampa International Airport suspended operations Tuesday morning and Sarasota Bradenton International Airport plans to close at 4 p.m.

American said it would suspend operations at Tampa and Sarasota shortly after midnight on Tuesday. 

Delta Air Lines said it added a couple more flights and used larger aircraft for some departures out of Sarasota. 

United Airlines added two extra flights out of Tampa on Monday and four from Orlando. The carrier said it would operate an additional flight out of Orlando International Airport on Tuesday. It also used a larger aircraft for a few flights out of Tampa and Sarasota. 

Southwest Airlines told Skift that it added more flights between Monday and Tuesday due to specific airport closures that are slated to begin later today. 

Florida officials have been urging residents in the path of Hurricane Milton to evacuate, especially those living in the Tampa Bay area. 

“Please, if you’re in the Tampa Bay area, you need to evacuate,” said Kevin Guthrie, executive director of Florida Emergency Management during a news conference, according to ABC News. “Drowning deaths due to storm surge are 100% preventable if you leave.”

President Joe Biden said on Tuesday that he was postponing two trips to Germany and Angola due to the hurricane, which intensified into a Category 5 storm on Monday. 

“Hurricane Milton could be one of the worst storms in 100 years,” Biden said. 

Some on social media have said that they don’t plan to evacuate either because of the congested highways or expensive last-minute airfares. Some reported on X that carriers were charging over $1,000 for economy fares out of Tampa. 

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg warned about airlines potentially “price gouging” airfares for flights out of Florida, a common complaint that arises during hurricanes. Congress previously asked the DOT to investigate airline price gouging during Hurricane Irma in 2017, according to The Washington Post.

“We are keeping a close eye on flights in and out of areas affected by Hurricane Milton to make sure airlines are not charging excessively increasing fares,” he said in a post on X. 

Airlines for America, the trade group that represents most major U.S. airlines, said carriers were working to re-accommodate passengers. 

“A4A passenger carriers are working diligently to accommodate customers impacted by Hurricane Milton,” A4A said in a statement. “Several carriers are allowing flexible rebooking options to and from