ORLANDO, Fla. – Some travel plans in Central Florida are being altered due to Tropical Storm Melissa, which is expected to intensify into a hurricane.
Chaos in the Caribbean forced her, Zim Thompson, to cancel her trip to Montego Bay.
What we know:
Tropical Storm Melissa is expected to strengthen into a hurricane as it churns through the Caribbean, prompting changes to travel plans across Central Florida.
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Airlines including JetBlue, Southwest and United are offering flight change waivers for destinations such as Montego Bay and Kingston, while cruise lines are closely monitoring the storm’s projected path.
Airports in the region are preparing for potential weather impacts, and travelers are making last-minute cancellations or adjustments to avoid being stranded.
What we don’t know:
It remains uncertain how strong Melissa will become or whether it will veer toward the U.S. mainland. The extent of disruptions to flights and cruises in the coming days also depends on the storm’s trajectory and speed, which forecasters say could shift as it moves north.
Forecasters say it could become a major hurricane.
The backstory:
For many travelers, the storm has thrown long-anticipated plans into chaos.
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Zim Thompson, who planned a trip to Montego Bay, canceled for the first time in nearly three decades of regular travel. Cruise passengers, too, are on alert.
What they’re saying:
Right now, several airlines are allowing passengers to get a waiver if they prefer not to fly where the weather is worsening.
“You only have one life. You can’t redo your life if something were to happen, so I’d rather cancel and go another time than be stuck in the airport for days,” said traveler Zim Thompson.
Cruise ship captains are monitoring the storm’s path and will cancel visiting ports if it becomes dangerous.
“We’ve been really lucky this year,” said Sherrie Biro, who has cruised before. “All the captains of all these ships know what they’re doing.”
Biro said she has cruised in inclement weather and won’t make that mistake again.
“The waves were so big that they were up to the windows on the dining area, so that was pretty scary,” she explained.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by travelers Zim Thompson and Sherrie Biro and the National Hurricane Center.