WASHINGTON (AP) – Airlines are canceling some flights to the Caribbean and even the mainland U.S. as Hurricane Matthew is expected to spin toward Florida later this week.
By late Tuesday, American Airlines had canceled about 120 flights through Saturday, a spokesman said. Nearly half were departures from Miami, mostly to Caribbean destinations.
Delta Air Lines planned to check the latest storm-tracking models on Wednesday before deciding whether to scrap any Florida flights, according to an airline spokesman.
Many U.S. airlines are letting passengers change travel plans without penalty if their trip might be affected by the hurricane, which pounded Haiti on Tuesday and caused flooding that was blamed for several deaths.
—American said it would waive change fees on trips scheduled Thursday or Friday to or from eight cities in Florida. The airline had already offered waivers on trips scheduled through Thursday in several Caribbean nations including Cuba.
—United Airlines said it would waive change fees and any difference in fare for customers scheduled to fly Wednesday through Friday to, from or through five airports in Florida.
—Delta waived change fees on trips through Wednesday in the Caribbean and through Thursday at eight Florida destinations, although differences in the fare would still apply.
—JetBlue Airways said passengers flying Thursday through Sunday to or from eight cities in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina can change planes without a fee or additional fare. A similar offer covers Caribbean travel through Thursday.
—Spirit Airlines said it would waive the change fee and fare difference on Florida trips Thursday and Friday.
The offers come with conditions that vary by airlines. Customers usually have just a few extra days to complete their rescheduled trip.
The fee to change a nonrefundable ticket on United, American and Delta is typically $200 for domestic flights and usually more for international trips.
Travelers whose flights are canceled can get a refund.
U.S. cities covered by waiver offers:
American — Daytona Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Key West, Melbourne, Miami, Orlando, West Palm Beach in Florida.
United — Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, West Palm Beach.
Delta — Daytona Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Key West, Melbourne, Miami, Orlando, West Palm Beach.
JetBlue — Daytona Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Orlando, West Palm Beach; also Savannah-Hilton Head, Georgia; Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina; Charleston, South Carolina.
Spirit — Fort Lauderdale, Orlando.
– by AP Reporter David Koenig
