Miami International Airport was closed to passenger flights until further notice on Monday after Hurricane Irma wreaked havoc on the airport’s terminals.
Officials at the Florida airport will assess the considerable water damage to determine whether flights can continue on Tuesday. There were leaks in every terminal, and water may have seeped through the airport’s glass panes, the Miami Herald reports.
The airport’s aviation director and CEO, Emilio Gonzalez, tweeted on Sunday that Miami International Airport “sustained significant water damage throughout.”
@iflymia endured #HurricaneIrma gusts of nearly 100 mph. Sustained significant water damage throughout. @FAANews@FlyTPA@MCO@FLLFlyer
— Emilio T. González, Ph.D. (@emiliotgonzalez) September 10, 2017
Airlines are still able to fly crew members and other employees into the airport to prepare for its reopening, according to an advisory from the airport on Sunday evening. An airport hotel was also open to accommodate hundreds of guests and stranded passengers, the Herald reports.
#TravelAdvisorypic.twitter.com/RYvZ5rstud
— Miami Int'l Airport (@iflymia) September 11, 2017
Along with other airports across Florida, Miami International had cancelled hundreds of incoming and outgoing flights scheduled for the weekend due to Irma. The closure will likely impact American Airlines heavily, as the airport is a major hub for the airline.
