TAMPA, Fla. — Check your flights. Tampa International Airport is shutting down operations starting at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 27.
Ahead of the potential impacts from Hurricane Ian, TPA is preparing for the possibility of strong winds, heavy rain and storm surge, the airport said in a news release.
During the closure, the airport, including parking garages and the main terminal, will be closed to all visitors. After the airport shuts down operations at 5 p.m., TPA staff will begin preparing the airfield and terminals for the storm. This includes securing the jet bridges, ground equipment and any remaining aircraft.
Following the arrival of the storm, if it's necessary, Tampa International Airport will conduct damage assessments when it's safe to do so.
TPA said that there will be no departing flights through Thursday. TPA is hoping on reopening on Friday but that will depend on when they can get staffing back for the control towers, TSA, and the airlines. However, there is no official date on when they will reopen. Check TPA website for updates.
"TPA will closely coordinate the reopening of the airport with its partners based on roadway safety, facility readiness, and staffing," the airport said.
Passengers who planned to travel over the next couple of days should check with their airlines for flight status updates. For those who have flights before 5 p.m., the airport urges passengers to arrive at TPA at least two hours before their flight's departure time.
St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport also announced it would be shutting down operations on Tuesday. In a news release, officials said the last flight scheduled out of the Pinellas County airport is at 11:22 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27. The airport terminal building will close at 1 p.m. Tuesday.