More than 550 flights have already been canceled: travel disruptions will increase as Florence approaches

More than 550 flights have already been canceled Wednesday morning, in anticipation of hurricane Florence along the east coast of the United States.

The Charlotte, Raleigh / Durham and Greensboro airports in North Carolina, and Richmond and Norfolk, Virginia, are among the largest domestic airports for air traffic disruptions due to Florence. Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina is one of America's busiest crossroads and is likely to be the most affected by the storm, given the current trajectories.

Airports in the Washington metropolitan area, Ronald Reagan National Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, and Baltimore and Thurgood Marshall International Airport are no longer on the path of the storm. While the cone has shifted to the south since initial forecasts, airports are still on alert.

(PLUS: the latest forecasts)

Operations will stop at airports located along the Carolina coast before the arrival of the storm until the storm moves inland. Airports serving Charleston and Myrtle Beach in South Carolina and Wilmington, North Carolina are among the coastal airports most likely to be directly affected. Dozens of airports in the region are likely to experience disturbances. Depending on the speed of the storm, airports could stop as early as Thursday morning.

According to current forecasts, Florence should stop in the middle of the Atlantic after approaching the coast. If the storm blocks flight paths along the east coast corridor, it could lead to delays and cancellations similar to those caused by long storm lines. This could lead to delays and cancellations in countries such as New York, Philadelphia, Washington and Atlanta, as airlines and air traffic control react to the reduction in airspace capacity.

Many started brandishing their flight change fees before the storm to allow as many people as possible to leave the area and help those who might have planned to fly to the area this week.

Delta Airlines put in place a policy that will allow passengers to apply for a refund if their flight to an affected city is canceled or delayed beyond 90 minutes. Destinations include Charleston and Myrtle Beach in South Carolina; Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham and Wilmington, North Carolina; and Norfolk and Richmond, Virginia. Delta is also waiving the tax on luggage and pets in cabin for several affected cities until September 17. This law comes just two weeks after Delta was accused of having usurped its prices. during Hurricane Gordon.

American Airlines, which has a hub in Charlotte, waived its change fee on flights involving 23 airports in the Carolinas, Georgia and Virginia to get to Sept. 19. United Airlines has agreed to waive booking fees for 16 affected airports until September 16th. In the light of the storm.

Southwest Airlines allows those traveling to nine directly affected airports to re-book their flights without a change fee.

JetBlue waive the change and cancellation fees and fare differences for customers traveling today until Sunday from or to affected airports. Passengers whose flights are canceled have the right to contact the airlines for a full refund. More information on all these policies is available on airline websites.

If your flight is canceled due to the storm, more often than not, you are not entitled to additional compensation. Legally, airlines affected by flight disruptions due to extreme weather conditions must either give their customers a seat on the next available flight, or a refund on their ticket. The airline is not required to compensate for other damages.

It is currently premature to describe the consequences of this storm and its damage on air transport. As written the Federal Aviation Administration"Once Hurricane Florence drops the ground, airports could be classified as" open ", but flooding on local roads could limit passenger access to airports and airline employees or from the airport. Therefore, all aspects of your trip to the airport, including parking, check-in, security and boarding can take longer than usual.