Storm: Charly and Florida

[purplebelle]

Hello,
I'm flying to Fort Myers, FL (Marco Island) this Saturday night and the friends I am visiting are fixing up their house preparing for the tropical storm, Charly. I don't know tropical storms, being from Chicago, so can the Floridians help me out? Is the storm predicted to be hitting Fort Myers/Marco Island? If this happens and I have a flight scheduled, can I get it rerouted someone else for no fee or is the flight just cancelled? I'm afraid I may be a burden to my friends if there's some tropical storm and I stay with them. But my flight is booked and paid for. Advice please.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Hi. I live on the other coast. But Tropical Storm Charley is now a hurricane. The projected path has it hitting the west coast of Florida (and possibly Ft. Myers) on Friday (sheesh its been moved up) Depending on what happens the airport could be closed to air traffic. You need to keep a close watch on this storm. I'll be back with a link.

In the meantime, you can call your airline and see what its policy is because it can vary from airline to airline.

Okay here is the latest predictions:

You can keep up with it here... http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT3+shtml/091746.shtml?

 

[purplebelle]

Oh wow, Miss Jasmine. That link is more helpful than I was imagining. Thank you SO much for posting that for me! My flight will be arriving Sat night around 11pm so it looks like the hurricane will hit a day before I get there. I'm hoping for no damage and the safety of Floridians who may be hit! I'm flying United so I will give them a call. Thanks again!

 

[legs22]

The potential 1-3 day track area is anywhere in the white area. The paths of Hurricanes can change. It may head more to the east, or west, or north. They really don't know exactly until it gets closer. Notice the farther away you get from the hurricane, the wider the white area gets. It may miss Ft. Myers altogether.

 

[purplebelle]

Hmm...I see what you're saying. I guess I'll jsut have to follow the storm each day and see what happens. I'm on the phone with United and they basically said to just call back and Friday and see if my flight is still scheduled, etc.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Purplebell,
I just wanted to let you know that it looks like the storm will be hitting north of Ft. Myers (of course we still don't know that yet for sure as Charley has yet to make the turns it is expected to). Another thing, some airlines are waiving fees for changing flights going into Florida because of the two storms (T.S. Bonnie will be hitting the panhandle of Florida later today).

Even if Ft. Myers is not hit, there can still be delays and cancellations of flights because of other activity in the area. I hope everything works out.