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Airlines added extra flights to evacuate tourists from Bermuda yesterday before the island’s airport closed as Hurricane Gonzalo approached.
LF Wade airport will be shut today (Friday) as tropical storm force winds were forecast for Bermuda overnight, strengthening to hurricane force winds.
Carriers including American Airlines, United, US Airways, JetBlue, WestJet and Air Canada either laid on additional flights or provided larger aircraft to fly travellers out before the airport closed.
The Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA) is advising visitors to follow the progress of Hurricane Gonzalo closely on the Bermuda Weather Service or the US National Weather Service websites.
BTA chief executive Bill Hanbury withdrew from a sales mission to the UK to head an emergency management plan. The BTA’s office in Bermuda will be closed today with calls re-routed to its office in New York.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said in an updated travel advisory: “Hurricane Gonzalo is expected to bring hazardous sea and weather conditions to Bermuda from late 16 October.”
Gonzalo is expected to pass within 29 miles of the island tonight as a Category 3 storm, close enough to be considered a direct hit, the Bermuda Weather Service said. Tropical storm conditions should begin by Friday morning, forecasters said.
“This hurricane is a large storm, and we should expect at least 24 hours of storm-force winds,” Premier Michael Dunkley said.
The hurricane comes just days after Tropical Storm Fay damaged homes and knocked down trees and power lines in Bermuda, with 1,500 homes still without power yesterday.