CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Travelers looking to get away from Hurricane Florence are experiencing the headaches of delays and canceled flights in Charlotte as the storm began to batter the Carolina coast Thursday morning.
According to FlightAware, 70 flights out of Charlotte were canceled, with the total number topping 800 along the East Coast. Several airports were completely shut down by Florence, including Myrtle Beach, New Bern, Charleston, Fayetteville and Jacksonville, North Carolina.
Charlotte Douglas officials said they will begin irregular operations Friday, which means essential staff will work 12-hour shifts throughout the duration of the storm. Preparations began Thursday at the airport, with employees stocking and checking emergency supplies for passengers who may be stuck at the airport during the hurricane. Those supplies mostly include food and water for anyone waiting for their next best chance to leave town.
Southwest Airlines ceased operations around noon Thursday and will try to resume Saturday. Those plans likely won't come to fruition as the worst of the storm is expected to be in the Charlotte area by Saturday, with up to 10 inches of rain possible.
"I was just kind of planning to leave on Sunday evening, but it looked a little risky and I got kind of fortunate that work was canceled," said one passenger departing Charlotte Thursday.
And while many passengers were concerned about not having their change fees waived due to the storm, airlines are running into another major problem: a lack of seats. Most of the flights leaving Charlotte are completely booked because Thursday, if not Friday, is the last chance to get out before Florence unleashes its fury on the region.
