Not one, but two.
Florida is bracing for Hurricane Milton after already being pummeled by Helene.
As The Associated Press reported, Milton continues to churn toward a potentially catastrophic collision with the west coast of the Sunshine State, where some residents insisted they would stay even after millions were ordered to evacuate.
Stragglers face grim odds of surviving, officials said.
The storm is creating a travel and lodging nightmare. Flights are canceled, hotels are full, gas stations are out of fuel — and prices for nearly everything are through the roof.
CBS Travel Editor Peter Greenberg joined WTOP’s Michelle Basch and John Aaron to examine the situation.
Listen to the full interview below or read the transcript. The transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.
Peter Greenberg: The good thing, if there is a good thing here, is that our weather forecasting has become so sophisticated we’re given enough advanced notice to be able to move. You saw airlines over the last 36 hours add flights out of Tampa, out of Orlando, out of other locations in Florida prior to those airports closing, so people had a chance to get out. Additional flights in other Florida locations as well. The problem right now, of course, is that every time you shut down an airport or an airline operation, for every 12 hours you shut down, it’s 36 to 48 hours to get back on track, because you have airplanes out of sequence, flights out of schedule and crews not where they’re supposed to be. So if you haven’t left by now, the problem is there are very few opportunities you have to fly out as either the airports are closed or the planes have been removed simply to protect the assets. So at this point, hotels are doing a good job in the area, but you have to avoid price gouging, especially after the fact, not during it, but after.
Michelle Basch: Well, for people who booked vacation hotel stays through third-party apps. Can they get their money back when the trip is canceled because of this storm?
Peter Greenberg: They can. But remember, every time you go through a third-party app, the question is, who do you call? And in many cases, you’re going to be on hold for a long period of time. That’s the problem. When something goes wrong, it’s the online travel agencies that have the worst job and the worst performance record of helping people out. That’s why, during the pandemic, the travel agents came back with a roar, because they actually acted as advocates for their clients, and that’s something you want to remember going forward.
John Aaron: Obviously, we have to wait and see what the storm has in store. But for people who had travel plans to Florida, what should they do after the storm blows through? Other than you know, assess how bad it is.
Peter Greenberg: Every airline has been responsible in issuing waivers, which allow you to rebook with no penalty fee or change in fare. And that’s a good thing. The problem right now, of course, is that when the airlines give you those waivers, they limit the time in which you can rebook. And for so many people, they weren’t planning on doing anything other than going to a family reunion or an event or a wedding, and they don’t need to rebook. And then the question becomes, can they get their money back, as opposed to a voucher? And that’s the gray area right now.
Michelle Basch: Any other advice for our listeners?
Peter Greenberg: Well, bottom line is, there is insurance that will cover you. Of course, you have to buy it before a storm is officially named. And that’s good advice going forward, if you buy the travel insurance, make sure you buy it before storm has an official name.
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