DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. — As Hurricane Ian takes aim at Florida, travelers across the country are bracing for impacts as well.
“It’s going to take a lot of patience, it’s going to take a lot of time," said Scott Miller, spokesman for Harrisburg International Airport. "I think most people are going to have their trips canceled and money refunded.”
The potentially catastrophic storm has forced several airports in the Sunshine State to shut down their runways, creating a ripple effect nationwide.
“Hundreds of thousands of people are flying in and out of the state of Florida every day and now they’re not going to get there," explained Miller. "Planes are full, so the chances of getting rebooked are probably pretty slim.”
Those effects are being felt in south-central Pennsylvania.
At Harrisburg International Airport, Allegiant is the only airline that flies non-stop to and from the Sunshine State
As of Wednesday afternoon, all of Thursday’s Florida flights have been canceled and Miller says Friday’s could be slashed too.
"It wouldn’t surprise me if they’re canceled as well," he said. "It all just depends on the path of the storm and if the airports are hit pretty hard."
AAA Central Penn says its agents are ready to help those travelers who may be impacted.
“It’s nice to have a professional that’s able to help you with this kind of situation where you can plan for any type of travel changes or rescheduling," said Doni Lee Spiegel, public relations manager for AAA Central Penn.
“It’s obviously a major inconvenience for the people in Florida who live there but trying to get down and back, it’s going to take a while to get things back up to normal. That’s assuming there’s not a lot of damage, which we certainly hope there’s not much," added Miller.
Officials at both HIA and AAA say impacted travelers should continue to check with their airline to see if and when flights will be rescheduled.
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