UPDATED: Airlines cancel flights as coastal airports close due to Hurricane Florence

The cancellations include flights Thursday and Friday.

Flooding and infrastructure damage to the city and airport could hamper the restart of flights. Delta plans to dispatch more than 30 employees to airports affected by the hurricane to help restart operations, and is sending food and water where needed.

Pending a review of the facilities, infrastructure and staffing, Delta plans to operate a flight from Atlanta to Charleston on Friday evening, and restart operations at the other airports Saturday.

More flight cancellations could come depending on the status of facilities and infrastructure after the storm.

Southwest Airlines, the second-largest carrier at Hartsfield-Jackson, said by Wednesday evening it had canceled 264 flights this week due to Florence.

Dallas-based Southwest has suspended operations in Charleston, Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham, Norfolk and Richmond through early Saturday morning.

Southwest advised travelers “to anticipate situational delays” and more cancellations based on weather conditions on the ground and in the mid-Atlantic airspace.

Delta encouraged passengers to check their flight status, and the airline is waiving certain change fees through Sept. 17 for passengers with flights booked to, from or through affected airports who want to change their travel plans.

Southwest is also allowing passengers with flights booked to, from or through affected cities to rebook without paying an additional charge, with certain restrictions.