BY: STORM DESK | BocaNewsNow.com
UPDATE 7:09 p.m. — Airport officials just issued this statement to BocaNewsNow.com: “In light of changing weather conditions, Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) has been closed to arriving aircraft. The terminal will be closing on Wednesday, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. Passengers are encouraged to contact their airlines regarding flight status.”
UPDATE: A quick check of FlightAware.com suggests that there are no planes currently in the air heading to PBIA and that the surprise early closure of the airport occurred after all flights bound for PBI landed. All other flights to the airport were canceled by individual airlines.
PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2024 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) is now closed. The airport made the announcement at 6:28 p.m., more than two and a half hours earlier than expected. The airport had planned to close at 9 p.m.
It’s unclear what will happen to the flights already in the air heading to PBI — expecting the airport would be open later into the night. The airport is not saying at this point whether or not those planes will be permitted to land, or if they will be diverted to other airports. The closure will immediately affect all outbound flights. If a plane isn’t on the runway right now, odds are good that it’s not taking off tonight.
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Miami International Airport remain open and plan to remain open throughout the storm. Winds are not expected to be strong enough either near FLL or MIA to require a closure, but airlines may cancel flights as many planes will be out of position.
Check with your airline before heading to any airport in Florida over the next few days. Just because an airport is open doesn’t mean your airline has a crew — or a plane for the crew — to take you on your flight.
