
Duffy: Less Than 400 FAA Employees Fired
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said less than 400 probationary employees at the Federal Aviation Administration have been recently…
The airline says it is adding over 2,000 more seats from Tampa and Sarasota to aid evacuation efforts.
An American A319 landing in Miami (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
American is among the many airlines readying for Hurricane Milton, which rapidly developed into a Category 5 storm on Monday. Various forecasts say it will make landfall near Florida’s Gulf Coast as early as Wednesday.
The airline will suspend operations at Tampa International Airport and Sarasota Bradenton International Airport shortly after midnight on Tuesday, Oct. 8, in preparation for the storm. American says it is also assessing operations at other Florida airports based on the latest forecasts.
To allow people the opportunity to evacuate by air, American is adding over 2,000 seats on multiple extra flights departing late Monday evening and early Tuesday from Tampa and Sarasota. These flights will operate to the carrier’s hubs in Charlotte, Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami, Philadelphia, Chicago, Phoenix, and Washington D.C.
In a press release, the airline said those interested can book these additional flights by calling American Airlines Reservations at 800-433-7300. Passengers on these extra flights will be permitted to check two bags at no additional cost.
A full list of American’s evacuation flights. (Photo: American Airlines)
“American will continue tracking Hurricane Milton with customers’ and team members’ safety top of mind,” the carrier said in the release.
Airlines have already begun to scrap flights scheduled on Wednesday. Data from FlightAware shows nearly 1,200 flight cancellations so far with Southwest topping the list at nearly 400.
Tampa International Airport said it will halt flight operations on Tuesday at 9 a.m. ET. On Wednesday, Orlando International Airport plans to cease all commercial flights.
Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com back in February 2013 and has amassed considerable experience in the aviation sector. His work has been featured in several publications and news outlets, including CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. During his time in the industry, he's worked in roles pertaining to airport/airline operations while holding a B.S. in Air Transportation Management from Arizona State University along with an MBA. Ryan has experience in several facets of the industry from behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 to interviewing airline industry executives. Ryan works for AirlineGeeks' owner FLYING Media, spearheading coverage in the commercial aviation space.
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