Thursday morning, Orlando International Airport officials announced that the airport will be closed to commercial operations starting at 8 p.m. because of Hurricane Matthew. The announcement was made on the airport’s official twitter page.
An airport spokesman confirmed that OIA will close at 8 a.m. and hopes to reopen on Saturday but only after damage assessment is done. However, Mathhew has been unpredictable until now and it is not known for sure when it will resume flight operations.
The airport is currently making preparations for the hurricane: jet bridges have been tied down; cranes in construction areas and equipment are secured.
Officials remind that the airport is not a hurricane shelter and people should not go there until normal flight operations resume. Those seeking shelter can check the official list of hurricane shelters in the area.
There have already been several delays for outcoming and incoming flights so far. Almost 200 flights have been canceled today and the airport recommends that its customers should check directly with their airlines.
Other major airports in Florida are also closing and hundreds of delayed or canceled flights in others. However, there are airports that are not closed like those in Tampa and Jacksonville.