Hurricane Irma?

[SaintsManiac]

Well my friend left Tampa for Tallahassee and then decided to pack it up again and head to NOLA. They've never evacuated before, but with small kids you simply have to in this situation. All the watching and waiting is so nerve wracking. I absolutely HATE evacuating and not knowing if/when you will get back home. Been there, done that.

I am glad to see Orlando will not have the direct hit, but man this just sucks for so many people. Keep the faith, everyone!

 

[AngiTN]

We are flying out from Toronto on Weds. with a connection in Detroit at 3:25 as well with Delta, hope they don't cancel but I guess we will find out Monday.

With the same preface I will add my speculation to yours. When my daughter got the call that her Tuesday flight was cancelled, she was also told that she should keep checking because "some new flights might be added".

I also suspected that this had to do with positioning of aircraft and flight crews, etc and that they are cancelling flights until they know when and how they can resume operations into MCO. It's complicated further by the possibility that the ATlanta airport could be affected on Monday or Tuesday. So, maybe if things clear out and the aftermath isn't too severe, they will start sending some flights into MCO. So, I'm suggesting to my daughter that she keep checking the SW site to see if anything opens up in case the alternate she booked on another airline is cancelled.

I assume that SW and other airlines have moved their aircraft away from the Florida airports to keep them from being damaged and/or trapped and unusable. But when operations resume at these airports they are going to have big backlogs to deal with and are going to need to get planes there. They're going to want people on these incoming planes, but they can't schedule them yet.

I think a lot of the flights cancelled are because they know they can't get the planes moved around/in position to fill the schedule. Flight schedules really fell the "butterfly effect". And remember, Monday and Tuesday may find Atlanta's airport impacted at times, which is going to impact the misery map greatly. If you've never followed it, and have a flight planned that goes through Atlanta, may be a good time to follow it
http://flightaware.com/miserymap/

Probably see a lot of red at Hartsfield and think how many flights feed through there

 

[TomServo27]

My SW flight for Tuesday is still on. I haven't received any cancellation.

Our flight out Indy 7:30am was cancelled but a few flights popped up last night were able to get a direct flight at 3pm. Now nothing available till Friday got extremely lucky that I happen to be checking at just the right time.

 

[ErinsMommy]

I'm just to the West of Orlando, and nothing is happening right now. It's been raining on and off since last night, it's really overcast and dark out, but no real wind.

Is Oviedo west too?? I'm on Zello with friends but they left us here in Nj after Sandys devastation and moved to Florida and it's taking everything in me not to Zello and ask how they're doing when I know the nerves are already rattled -- but I want to check in when it passes so I know they're ok

 

[Shaun Davis]

Our flight out Indy 7:30am was cancelled but a few flights popped up last night were able to get a direct flight at 3pm. Now nothing available till Friday got extremely lucky that I happen to be checking at just the right time.

My flight is nonstop at 12:05 Tuesday. I read on flightaware.com that MCO is opening again at 2pm Monday.

 

[fla4fun]

It's gloomy here, but no issues yet. I'm going to cook some breakfast, in case we can't cook later. I'm shutting all the devices down for a while to top up the charges. I've got two iPads, an iPod, an iPhone, and a laptop, so hopefully if we lose power I can check things online every once in a while. Plus, I can always charge a device in the car if absolutely necessary. We've got things buttoned up as much as can be, and just letting it all go at this point. Everyone stay safe!

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Our flight out Indy 7:30am was cancelled but a few flights popped up last night were able to get a direct flight at 3pm. Now nothing available till Friday got extremely lucky that I happen to be checking at just the right time.

Our SW non-stop flight out of Islip on Tuesday at 1:50pm that was arriving MCO at 4:35pm was canceled...got lucky and rebooked a 9:15 am with a stop in BWI arriving MCO at 2:15pm...no non-stop flights were available....will see if this works out...trying to get there to see my son who lives in Orlando

 

[mesaboy2]

Is Oviedo west too?? I'm on Zello with friends but they left us here in Nj after Sandys devastation and moved to Florida and it's taking everything in me not to Zello and ask how they're doing when I know the nerves are already rattled -- but I want to check in when it passes so I know they're ok

Oviedo is roughly 15 miles northeast of Orlando.

 

[MkaMouse]

Thank you!! Well, I say thank you, it's 1am and I'm still up going through these threads haha. But it will help put my mind at ease so thank you. Animals, especially wild ones don't have the same warnings as we do nor the same resources, so many will unfortunately end up suffering.

I'm an animal lover too. (I love animals more than most people!) But I don't think you should worry about the AKL animals too much. They are a HUGE investment for Disney, and Disney will do all it can to protect them. The animals are an asset for Disney, just as much as the real estate for the parks and the attractions within the parks. (I'm a CPA, so I can't help but look at things from a dollars and cents perspective!)

 

[AWdesign8]

My SW flight to MCO 9/14 hasn't been canceled yet, guess we'll see.

You might be okay. Just got off the phone with SW since my flight Tuesday 9/12 was cancelled and they told me no flights available until 9/14.

 

[KimBean]

If he is self-employed (his own boss), why can't he just take a vacation after this?

I'm sure she has responded but my dh is self employed as well. Usually you have blocked your vacation days off not to book work. That means in the days before and after your vacation you book work and probably even more then usual to make up for the time you took off. So now he has work booked and people counting on him and wouldn't be good for business to cancel and you need the money since you took a week off that you ended not going anywhere.

The pros and cons of self employment. Don't get me started.

 

[tink1957]

I just called sw and spoke with a customer service representative and all flights before 1:00 p.m. are cancelled on Tuesday. We are scheduled to be on the 1:30 flight from ATL to MCO and so far it hasn't been cancelled. He did say to keep checking my email for updates.

 

[HarperLeigh]

Hitting Fl Keys as a Cat 4.

 

[DollyM]

Our flight out Indy 7:30am was cancelled but a few flights popped up last night were able to get a direct flight at 3pm. Now nothing available till Friday got extremely lucky that I happen to be checking at just the right time.

It seems to be common these days to use the word direct when nonstop is meant. I've seen it a lot on the internet and heard it in person. By definition, direct flights have one or more stops with no plane change. Nonstop flights don't have stops. A lot of Delta and Southwest flights (and maybe others) go through Atlanta on the way to/from Orlando. Most that stop are connecting flights but some are direct. If the Atlanta airport has to close I assume that will cause further delays/cancellations for MCO.

 

[AngiTN]

Also remember, just because SW cancels flights it doesn't mean MCO won't be open. Airlines can cancel flights but an airport can be open and operating.

 

[HarperLeigh]

Currently, eye is moving straight north, not west. Naples expecting direct hit.

 

[lawboysam]

Also remember, just because SW cancels flights it doesn't mean MCO won't be open. Airlines can cancel flights but an airport can be open and operating.

I needed to hear this, so thanks. Trying not to panic about our Wednesday flights.

 

[AngiTN]

I don't know if it's a DirectTV only channel or available to all but TWC has a channel airing called Live Coverage: Hurricane Irma
Normally, not a TWC fan at all but this one is good with all the split screens and live radars to watch

 

[lilbabyfroggie]

I am also scheduled to arrive on Wednesday, after rescheduling from a Monday arrival. I'm curious to see if airlines will allow another flight change without charging a fare penalty.

Not sure what airline you are on, but I have changed 3 times now with SW, no penalty at all. I hope it's the case for you!

 

[AngiTN]

I needed to hear this, so thanks. Trying not to panic about our Wednesday flights.

Best of luck to you and your trip. I know how it feels to be watching flights with your breath held