Delta Air Lines says it flights may be disrupted at its Atlanta hub Monday due to Hurricane Irma.
“Given the revised storm track, Delta is evaluating potential flight disruptions at its Atlanta hub Monday,” the company said Friday.
Atlanta is the world’s largest airline hub, where Delta has roughly 1,000 daily departures. Flight cancellations at the hub can disrupt travel for people all over the country and the world who connect in Atlanta to other destinations.
Those scheduled to fly Delta to, from or through Atlanta Sept. 6-17 can make a change to their travel plans without paying a change fee.
The list of cities in Georgia, Florida, the Caribbean and the Bahamas that Delta's change fee waiver applies to now includes Atlanta, Albany Augusta, Brunswick, Columbus, Savannah and Valdosta in Georgia. It also includes Charleston, S.C.
Delta has also canceled all flights in Savannah after 3 p.m. Sunday, and has said it expects flight cancellations for airports along the Gulf Coast.
As residents rush to evacuate areas in Irma's path, the airline has also added at least 24 extra flights in Florida, the Caribbean and the Bahamas.
On Friday, Delta operated two Boeing 747 jumbo jets on rare domestic routes, using them to carry customers and employees out of the Southeast.
The airline plans to operate a ferry flight for emplyoees and their families from Fort Lauderdale to Atlanta late Friday.
Overall, Delta has canceled about 400 flights since Wednesday, including cancellations in the Caribbean and the Bahamas.
Delta is canceling its flights in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach starting Friday night through Sunday.
The company expects airports on both coasts of Florida to close starting Friday through the weekend. It said flights in Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Melbourne, Fort Myers and Orlando are canceled starting Saturday afternoon/evening. Flights in Sarasota and Tampa are canceled for Sunday.
Delta is also suspending its Friday and Saturday flights in Key West.
Airports in St. Thomas and St. Maarten remain closed, with flights canceled for Friday. Delta’s flights at Turks & Caicos and Santiago in the Dominican Republic have been canceled since Wednesday; San Juan, Puerto Rico flights have been canceled since Thursday, while flights in Nassau are also canceled.
Delta will cancel flights at Exuma, Marsh Harbour and Freeport in the Bahamas starting Saturday.
Southwest Airlines, the second-largest carrier at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, is also allowing travelers with flights booked to Atlanta from Friday Sept. 8 through Sunday September 17 to change their travel plans without paying an additional charge. The waiver also applies to Birmingham, Charleston, cities in Florida and the Caribbean.
Southwest is allowing travelers to change their origin or destination to Atlanta or Birmingham if they have flights booked to and from Charleston, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa and West Palm Beach during that itme period.
But, with many Floridians evacuating to Georgia and Alabama, Southwest warns passengers not to fly to Atlanta or Birmingham unless they already have hotel bookings.
“Due to limited overnight accommodations in the BHM (Birmingham) and ATL areas, it is strongly encouraged to have a confirmed reservation out of these cities prior to traveling to those airports,” Southwest says on its website.
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