Airlines Brace for Hurricane Matthew Landfall

Surf and wind from Hurricane Matthew crash on the waterfront in Baracoa, Cuba, Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2016. The dangerous Category 4 storm blew ashore around dawn in Haiti. It unloaded heavy rain as it swirled on toward a lightly populated part of Cuba and the Bahamas. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

State Department issues travel warning, while legacy carriers issue travel waivers to affected airports.

Travel providers across the United States are preparing for the potential landfall of Hurricane Matthew and the potential damage it could bring to the southeast. USA Today reports all four major American air carriers have announced waivers in advance of the hurricane’s path towards Florida this week.

After making initial landfall with Haiti and Cuba earlier in the week, the National Hurricane Center currently projects that the “major hurricane” will travel through the Bahamas, before making contact with the east coast of Florida as soon as Thursday. The storm is currently traveling northwest at a pace of 12 miles per hour, with sustained winds of around 120 miles per hour.

In the wake of damages left by the storm, the State Department has issued travel warnings for those planning to visit The Bahamas, Haiti, Jamaica, along with an alert for Cuba. Travelers are advised to reconsider their travel plans, while those already there were advised to shelter-in-place until evacuation was possible.

With the storm potentially creating major problems for travel providers, many are allowing travelers to change their plans ahead of the storm. All three legacy carriers, Southwest Airlines and other smaller carriers have issued change-fee waivers to those traveling to select destinations in Florida and throughout the Caribbean. The affected airports among the legacy carriers include Miami International Airport (MIA), Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and Orlando International Airport (MCO), while Southwest is offering change-fee waivers to destination airports. Travelers are encouraged to check with their airlines prior to departure.

Because the storm is now pending landfall, travel insurance may no longer be available to cover travelers with plans to affected areas. According to travel insurance marketplace Squaremouth.com, insurance policies purchased now would not cover delays or cancellations due to Hurricane Matthew.

“When customers call asking about Hurricane Matthew, we advise them not to buy a policy, because they won’t be covered,” said Squaremouth spokesperson Rachael Taft. “Once a storm is named, it is considered foreseen and no longer eligible for coverage on new policies.”

[Photo: Ramon Espinosa/AP]