How Airports Are Preparing for Hurricane Milton

Florida is bracing for Hurricane Milton as it barrels toward the state’s Gulf Coast. Airlines have canceled 2,400 flights so far on Wednesday in preparation for the storm, according to FlightAware.

Major airports throughout the state have halted operations completely, including Tampa International Airport, which shut down on Tuesday morning. Orlando International Airport remains open but has paused all commercial operations.

Sarasota Bradenton International Airport also closed on Tuesday afternoon.

Crews at Tampa International Airport brace for Hurricane Milton (Photo: Tampa International Airport)

‘Batten Down the Hatches’

Tampa is among the cities set to be hit the hardest by Milton. The city’s main airport — the state’s fourth-busiest — shut down early to prepare facilities for the storm. John Tiliacos, the airport’s executive vice president of airport operations, said this process takes up to 24 hours.

“Our team has been planning and executing all of the preparation that we need to take for Hurricane Milton’s arrival,” Tiliacos said during a press conference.

In a Facebook post, the airport said its team has been working around the clock to “batten down the hatches.” The airport has 58 jet bridges, each of which needs to be chained down, which can take around an hour each to complete.

Crews secure airport equipment (Photo: Tampa International Airport)

Aircraft and other airfield equipment also need to be secured in advance of the storm.

“Tampa International Airport is extremely close to Tampa Bay and storm surge and flooding are a top concern for us. … [I]f you consider that we may potentially face 10 to 15 feet of storm surge, we are talking about a lot of water that will find its way onto the airport,” Tiliacos added.

Crews secure jet bridges in Tampa (Photo: Tampa International Airport)

The airport says it will reopen after a damage assessment is conducted.

Roughly 85 miles away, Orlando International Airport says it is also preparing for the storm, securing jet bridges and sand-bagging doors.

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Ryan Ewing

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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