Local
Isaias disrupts Florida-bound travel at Charlotte Douglas, delaying nearly 300 flights
Hurricane Isaias’ landfall near Destin, Florida, snarled air travel at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, with nearly 300 delays and 40 cancellations reported. Some passengers headed to Miami had to find lodging or switch to rental cars.
CHARLOTTE — Hurricane Isaias disrupted flights at Charlotte Douglas International Airport on Friday, Oct. 9, as the storm made landfall near Destin, Florida, and emergency crews across North Carolina stood by.
Flight-tracking service FlightAware reported nearly 300 delayed flights and 40 cancellations at the airport. Most passengers were still able to leave as planned, but people traveling to Florida faced significant interruptions.
Ana Comptis, who had come to Charlotte for a work trip, said her 6:45 p.m. flight home to Miami was pushed to noon the following day. She had to arrange a hotel stay.
“We were able to come here, but now we can’t get back,” Comptis said.
A canceled flight also threatened Alesha Hollingeshead’s plans to connect to a cruise departing Miami at 2 p.m. the next day. She decided to rent a car and drive south rather than wait for another flight.
The storm’s effects reached beyond the airport: North Carolina first responders and rescue teams were placed on standby as Isaias moved through the region. Travelers with Florida-bound flights faced the most immediate disruptions, while the majority of passengers at Charlotte Douglas were able to depart on schedule.