Tropical Storm Nicole affects travel in Florida, forces Orlando International Airport to cancel flights

Storm Tropical Nicole hampered Florida traffic on Wednesday, causing a minimum of one airport to close as forecasters warned of hurricane conditions along the state's east coast. Orlando International Airport said operations would halt at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday until conditions permit operations to resume.

Spirit Airlines, located in Miramar, Florida, said it would eliminate change fees and pricing discrepancies for Fort Lauderdale and Miami flights through November 14 and Orlando flights through November 16.





The low-cost carrier stated that it would continue to waive change costs after that, but travellers would be required to pay the difference in fare.
Other airlines, notably JetBlue, which has a strong presence in Fort Lauderdale and Southwest, American, and Delta, waived fares for storm-affected passengers.

The storm is threatening Florida roughly a month after Hurricane Ian blasted into the state, leaving catastrophic damage in the Fort Meyers and Naples areas and other portions of the state's Gulf Coast. Hurricane Ian cost Spirit up to $15 million in lost reservations and delayed flights during the fourth quarter.

FAQs

What is a tropical storm?
It is a fast-rotating storm system with a low-pressure core, atmospheric circulation low level, high winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms causing heavy rain and squalls.

Where is Florida?
Florida is the southernmost state in the US, bordered by the Atlantic on one side and the Gulf of Mexico on the other.