Hurricane Michael Travel Update: Airports Look to Reopen

by Daniel McCarthy October 12, 2018

Hurricane Michael hit the Florida Panhandle hard this week, and while most airports in the hurricane’s path are back to operations, some are still dealing with the aftereffects of the storm. Here’s an update on their current status.

Apalachicola Regional Airport
Apalachicola Regional Airport, which operates out of Franklin County, Florida, is still closed, according to flight monitoring website Flight Aware. Gusts of wind of 58 mph swept through the airport during Hurricane Michael’s passing on Wednesday morning.

According to updates from the airport’s Facebook page, work is currently underway to repair damages that it suffered during the storm. Despite the ongoing work, the airport was used as a landing point for helicopters sent by the Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security to aid in rescue efforts, including saving eight people in Mexico Beach in Bay County.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport
More than 300 flights were canceled at Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina on Thursday, though the airport remained open and operational through Thursday evening. As of Friday, aside from a couple of delays, things are back on track at the airport.

Destin-Ft. Walton Beach Airport
Destin Airport said on Wednesday that it planned to reopen early Thursday morning to prepare for its mid-morning schedule. All flights were on time for Friday, according to Flight Aware.

Panama City Airport
Panama City Airport canceled all flights through noon on Friday, Oct. 12, earlier in the week. According to an announcement, the airport is still fully operational and officials expect flights to start back up on schedule, though that is subject to change. Flights scheduled for Saturday and Sunday are currently still on schedule. Other facilities at the airport, including its long-term parking, suffered no visible damage.

Pensacola International Airport
Pensacola was still urging passengers to check directly with their airline before going to the airport on Thursday. Some flights were canceled, but according to Flight Aware, the airport is largely back to normal operations.

Tallahassee International Airport
The small Florida airport reopened on Thursday midday, after canceling more than 30 flights on Wednesday. Three flights were canceled on Friday, according to FlightAware.