As Hurricane Milton barrels toward Florida, a wave of relief washes over travelers who managed to catch one of the last flights out to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. Passengers from Orlando, some of whom spent the past few days at Disney resorts, arrived in Arizona ahead of the widespread flight cancellations following the closure of Tampa International Airport yesterday and Orlando International Airport's operations suspension starting today.
According to FOX10 Phoenix, all direct Tampa flights were canceled, and many Orlando-bound travelers, like Amy White, worried over their chances to hastily evacuate. "We were definitely nervous about it because we knew that the airport was going to be shut down tomorrow," White said, expressing a shared sentiment of urgency to disembark before options ran out. Liz Sirrine, who also fled Orlando, echoed these sentiments to AZ Family, "Kind of kept us up all night worrying like, oh my gosh, are we able to get out of Orlando?"
Some travelers took precautious steps in case their flights were grounded. Brittany Struening, a Valley resident, described the tension in Orlando as roads filled and she resorted to renting a car. "We were thinking, what are we going to do? We can't get stuck here. So we got a rental car just to have in case our flight got canceled, we could drive up to Atlanta," she told FOX10 Phoenix.
Meanwhile, those who arrived at Phoenix felt a blend of gratitude and concern. While relieved to avoid the hurricane's reach, their empathy remained with those they left behind. "It felt kind of rough because there are a lot of people trying to get out and I don't know if there's anybody that didn't get flights that didn't get out. So, you know, you got to kind of feel for the people," Struening further stated to FOX10 Phoenix. As Valley residents reclaim a sense of safety, efforts to aid those in the storm's path have begun. Edgar Olivo, CEO of the American Red Cross, Arizona and New Mexico region, told AZ Family, "We have already sent 40 Red Crossers of our own to help with prelandfall efforts that include helping evacuation centers for those leaving the storm’s path."
Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall this afternoon, leaving those in its wake to grapple with the anticipation of its impact, and those safely in Phoenix to offer support where they can.
