A FLORIDA-BOUND flight from Glasgow Airport has been delayed due to Hurricane Milton.
TUI has cancelled a flight from London Gatwick to Melbourne Orlando, and two flights to the US airport from Birmingham and Glasgow due to operate today (Thursday, October 10) have been delayed until Friday.
The travel firm has advised customers already in Florida to “follow any instructions given" by their hotel management and resort teams, adding that they are “experienced” in preparing for severe weather.
The US National Hurricane Centre reports the hurricane had maximum sustained winds of 120mph.
About 90 minutes after making landfall, Milton was centred about 20 miles (30 kilometres) northeast of Sarasota and had weakened slightly with maximum sustained winds of 110mph (175ph), becoming a Category 2 storm, the hurricane centre reported.
The US National Weather Service has issued the highest level of flood warning to more than two million residents within Milton’s path.
Blackouts from the damaging storm have plunged more than two million people into darkness so far, as per the electrical fault website poweroutage.us.
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Virgin Atlantic, British Airways and Tui are among the airlines to have cancelled flights between the UK and Florida.
A number of airports in Florida have closed to commercial operations, including Orlando International, Melbourne Orlando International and Tampa International.
The Met Office said the hurricane could bring uncertainty to UK weather next week if its remnants end up in the Atlantic, but added Milton was “highly unlikely to reach the UK”.
The weather service said Milton was expected to be a “dangerous and destructive hurricane as it makes landfall”, with the risk of a substantial storm surge.
Met Office tropical prediction scientist Julian Hemming said Milton’s “extremely strong winds” could cause “severe structural damage”.
He added: “But also the thing we’re really concerned about is the storm surge.
“And around the hurricane, and particularly to the south of the eye of the hurricane, we could get a storm surge of up to 15ft, which would cause extreme flooding along the coastal strip.”
Aviation analytics company Cirium said 11 out of the 14 flights scheduled to operate between the UK and Florida on Wednesday were cancelled.
British Airways cancelled six flights connecting Gatwick with Orlando and Tampa on Wednesday.
The airline said in a statement: “Safety is always our highest priority and we continue to monitor the situation closely.
“As with other airlines, we are adjusting our flight schedules where airport closures occur and providing any affected customers with alternatives, including flight rebooking options or full refunds.”
Virgin Atlantic has cancelled a number of flights because of “adverse weather conditions expected to be caused by Hurricane Milton”, with a state of emergency declared in Florida.
The airline cancelled two flights on Tuesday between Heathrow and Tampa, and nine on Wednesday, including between Manchester and Orlando.
A further 10 flights have been called off on Thursday, involving Heathrow, Manchester, Orlando and Tampa.
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Meanwhile, a Virgin Atlantic spokesperson said: “Due to severe weather conditions expected to be caused by Hurricane Milton, a state of emergency has been declared in Florida, and Tampa and Orlando airports are closing.
“Unfortunately this has impacted our flying schedule and services to and from Orlando and Tampa are subject to cancellations and delays.
“The safety and welfare of our customers and crew is our top priority.”
The FCDO said travellers should monitor approaching storms on the US National Hurricane Centre website and follow instructions from local authorities, including evacuation orders.
It said travellers should check with their airline or travel agent about possible disruption to flights or airport services.
A spokesperson said: “We are closely monitoring the development of Hurricane Milton towards the United States.
“We urge all British nationals in Florida or travelling to the region to follow travel advice and guidance from local authorities.”
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel said tourists in Florida should follow the advice of local authorities, adding: “If your flight to Florida has been cancelled, compensation won’t be payable as the hurricane is an extraordinary event outside of airlines’ control.
“Airlines do however have a legal duty of care and should provide assistance to affected passengers, such as food and overnight accommodation if required, as well as offering prompt rerouting to get people to their final destination when it is safe to do so, including with other airlines if necessary.
"Those on a package holiday should receive assistance from their tour operator – including help getting home safely if required, once the danger has passed.
“It’s also worth checking your travel insurance policy to see if you are covered for any additional losses as a result of the hurricane – for example, lost nights of hotel accommodation or car hire if your trip is delayed or cancelled.”
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