Airlines Issue Waivers as Tropical Storm Isaias Heads Up East Coast

The first major storm of 2020’s hurricane season hit the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic this weekend before bringing heavy rain to Florida’s east coast on Sunday.

According to the NOAA’s National Hurricane Center, Tropical Storm Isaias, which weakened from a hurricane to a tropical storm before it hit Florida, caused some flooding along the Florida coast on Sunday, and continues to make its way up the East Coast.

The storm, as of 5 am EST on Monday morning, was hovering near the South Carolina and North Carolina border as a hurricane. Isaias was about 280 miles south-southwest of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, moving north along the coast at 9 mph.

The NOAA expects the storm to hit the coast of South Carolina and southern North Carolina later on Tuesday before then moving inland over North Carolina on Monday night. On Tuesday, the NOAA said, the storm should be moving along the coast of the mid-Atlantic coast before hitting the northeastern U.S. on Tuesday night.

The NOAA currently has a storm surge warning in effect for the area from Edisto Beach, S.C. to Cape Fear, N.C. and a storm surge watch for the area from Cape Fear to Duck, N.C., and the areas around the Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for other areas along the Carolinas and up the coast, including north of Surf City, N.C. to west of Watch Hill, R.I; Chesapeake Bay south of North Beach; Tidal Potomac River, south of Cobb Island; Delaware Bay; Long Island and Long Island Sound; and Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds.

A tropical storm watch is in effect for Watch Hill Rhode Island to Stonington, Maine and Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, and Block Island.

A hurricane warning is still in effect for South Santee River, S.C. to Surf City, N.C..

Flight change waivers
American Airlines is allowing those scheduled to fly on Aug. 3 and 4 through impacted cities, including Charleston, Hilton Head, Jacksonville (North Carolina), Myrtle Beach, New Bern, Savannah, and Wilmington, to changes their flight without penalty.

Those on American can rebook for travel through Aug. 7 without penalty as long as they don’t change origin or destination city and rebook in the same cabin (those booking in a different cabin can pay the difference).

Delta Air Lines issued a flight waiver this weekend for tickets for flights to or through impacted cities on Aug. 3 and 4. The impacted cities include Brunswick, Charleston, Hilton Head, Myrtle Beach, Savannah, and more.

All Delta tickets must be reissued on or before Aug. 7 with rebooked travel beginning no later than Aug. 7, as well.

JetBlue was allowing passengers traveling through Ft. Lauderdale and West Palm Beach on Aug. 1 and 2 to change their flight without penalty.

Southwest is allowing its customers, booked through Charleston on Aug. 3 and 4, to rebook in the original class of service or travel standby within two weeks of their scheduled flight without paying additional charges.