UPDATED: Airlines waive change fees for travelers bound for cities in Hurricane Irma's path

ajc.com

Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi

Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi

Airlines are warning passengers that flights to the Caribbean and Florida could be affected by Hurricane Irma.

Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines is telling travelers to check their flight status frequently. Those whose flights are cancelled or delay of 90 minutes or more are entitled to a refund for flights they do not use.

Delta is also waiving certain change fees for travelers with flights booked to cities that could be affected by Hurricane Irma.

The airline on Thursday adding coastal cities in Georgia and South Carolina to its list of cities where travel could be affected by Hurricane Irma, thus allowing people with flights booked through those airports to make a change to their travel schedules without paying certain fees.

Brunswick, Savannah and Charleston are now on Delta’s list of airports that its change fee waiver applies to for travel Sept. 6-17.

The airline said passengers with flights booked during the period Sept. 5-9 to, from or through San Juan, Punta Cana and Santiago in the Dominican Republic, St. Croix, St. Maarten, St. Thomas or Turks & Caicos Islands can make a one-time change to their ticket without a fee.

On Wednesday, Delta added more cities in Florida that the waiver applies to, indicating the broadening reach of the storm.

Passengers with flights booked during the period Sept. 6-17 to, from or through Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Key West, Sarasota, West Palm Beach, Daytona Beach, Fort Walton Beach, Gainesville (Fla.), Jacksonville, Melbourne, Orlando, Panama City, Pensacola, Sarasota/Bradenton, Tallahassee or Tampa/St. Petersburg/Clearwater in Florida, or Havana, Nassau, Freeport or Exuma Airport in the Bahamas, as well as Brunswick, Savannah and Charleston can also make a change to their ticket without a fee.

Delta also extended its waiver of change fees for travelers affected by Hurricane Harvey through Sept. 7. That change fee waiver applies to travel to, from or through Houston, Austin, Baton Rouge, San Antonio, or Alexandria, Lafayette, Shreveport or New Orleans in Louisiana.

Southwest Airlines, the second-largest carrier at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, is also allowing travelers to change their travel plans without paying certain charges.

Southwest said its flights to Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Havana, Nassau, Orlando, Punta Cana, San Juan, Tampa and West Palm Beach may be disrupted, and travelers with flights booked within the period Sept. 5 through Sept. 11 can rebook without paying any additional charge.

— Stay up to date on the latest news on Atlanta airline travel by following  Atlanta Airport News Now  on Facebook.

MORE:

Delta, Southwest cancel flights due to Hurricane Irma

Hurricane Irma: Delta adding flights for Florida evacuees

Hurricane Irma: Live updates

Hurricane Irma: What is a Category 5 hurricane and what does it do?

Hurricane Irma now a category 5 storm with maximum winds of 175 mph

Hurricane Irma could affect Georgia next week The airline is also waiving certain change fees for travelers with flights booked to cities that could be affected by Hurricane Irma.