As Hurricane Ian moves away from the Tampa Bay area, Tampa International Airport will resume commercial operations on Friday, Sept. 30, at 10 a.m.
Airport maintenance and operations staff inspected the airfield and facilities this morning and determined TPA did not sustain any serious damage during the storm.
Friday’s 10 a.m. reopening for departing and arriving flights will give the Airport and its partners such as the FAA, the TSA, airlines, and others time to take necessary steps for the safe resumption of business. Among them, bringing back aircraft that had to be removed ahead of the hurricane, as well as required staff.
Parking facilities, the Rental Car Center, and TSA Security Checkpoints will be open Friday morning to serve departing passengers who arrive early for their flights. With high passenger volumes expected, passengers are urged to arrive at the Airport at least 2 hours before their scheduled departure.
“We feel very lucky to have come out on the other side of this largely unscathed and are eager to restart operations after such a fraught and anxious week,” Tampa International Airport CEO Joe Lopano said. “We can now continue serving as an important resource for our travelers and community, and begin helping our fellow Floridians in their time of need.”
TPA suspended operations at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 27 ahead of Ian’s landfall to allow time to secure and protect Airport infrastructure from strong winds or rising water, and to ensure passengers and employees had time to get home or evacuate. The hurricane was forecast to potentially hit the Tampa Bay area directly, but the track shifted further south, sparing the Airport from the worst of the storm’s Category 4 impacts.