Tampa International Airport to reopen Wednesday for arriving flights

Tampa International Airport will reopen following Hurricane Idalia at 4 p.m. today, the airport said in a news release.

Arriving flights will begin this afternoon. The airport will resume all operations at 3 a.m. Thursday.

Tampa International Airport wasn’t heavily damaged by the storm. There was some flooding on the south side of the airfield but it didn’t impact runways. A video from the airport showed one airfield light fell down.

“TPA is fortunate to have avoided the worst effects of such a dangerous storm, after acting in an abundance of caution to protect the safety of our passengers, employees and facilities,” Tampa International Airport CEO Joe Lopano said in a statement. “We’re focused now on returning to full operational capacity to continue serving our community and to assist in recovery efforts for our fellow Floridians.”

The airport closed at midnight Tuesday to commercial flights to prepare for the major hurricane that hit Florida’s Gulf Coast. Staff members strapped down about 60 boarding bridges, relocated planes and put out about 600 sandbags across the airport. The airport also has about a dozen construction sites that needed to be secured, according to the release.

The roads at the airport are open, the release said. Transportation Security Administration checkpoints will resume Thursday morning for early travelers.

The airport expects a high number of passengers Thursday and recommends travelers arrive at least two hours early for their flight. Travelers should also check with their airlines about flight delays and cancellations.

Meanwhile the other airports managed by the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority will stay closed until Thursday. Peter O. Knight Airport experienced “significant flooding,” the release said.

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