Flights to Florida from are cancelled as US gets ready for Hurricane Milton

Milton is expected to make landfall on the west coast of Florida on Wednesday night or Thursday morning, with tropical force winds affecting the west coast from Wednesday morning.

UK to Florida flights have been axed as the US prepares for the onslaught of Hurricane Milton.

The hurricane is predicted to hit Florida's west coast either late Wednesday or early Thursday, with tropical force winds starting to affect the area from Wednesday morning. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has warned of an escalating risk of a deadly storm surge on the west coast, with heavy rain and high winds set to impact large areas of Florida. Orlando International Airport announced it would halt commercial passenger operations at 8am on Wednesday, resuming "resume as soon as possible based on damage assessment".

Tui anticipates its flight schedule to be "to be extremely disrupted", with Melbourne Orlando International Airport shutting down to commercial flights at 2pm on Wednesday and reopening at 9am on Friday. The travel firm has cancelled a Gatwick to Melbourne Orlando flight on Wednesday and is "contacting customers directly to discuss their options".

Virgin Atlantic has also cancelled several flights due to the "adverse weather conditions expected to be caused by Hurricane Milton", with a state of emergency declared in Florida. The airline cancelled two Tuesday flights between Heathrow and Tampa, and nine on Wednesday, including ones between Manchester and Orlando. An additional 10 flights scheduled for Thursday, involving Heathrow, Manchester, Orlando and Tampa, have also been cancelled.

Virgin Atlantic flights from Edinburgh to Orlando were delayed by 23 hours due to the impending hurricane, with one flight delayed on Wednesday and another on Thursday. In a statement, Virgin Atlantic said: "The safety and comfort of our customers and crew is our top priority and we are contacting any Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Atlantic Holiday customers who may be impacted by the hurricane to discuss their options."

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advised travellers to monitor the US National Hurricane Centre website for updates on the storm and to follow instructions from local authorities, including evacuation orders.

The FCDO also recommended that travellers check with their airline or travel agent for any potential disruptions to flights or airport services. An FCDO spokesperson stated: "We are closely monitoring the development of Hurricane Milton towards the United States."

"We urge all British nationals in Florida or travelling to the region to follow travel advice and guidance from local authorities."