Hurricane(?) impeding travel to SW FL for funeral

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September 24, 2024, 06:17 PM

4MUL8R

Hurricane(?) impeding travel to SW FL for funeral

Two years ago Hurricane Ian destroyed my parent's Fort Myers retirement home at www.shellpoint.org. Thursday I need to fly there for my Mother's funeral. With a hurricane in the gulf. Really?

I know God gives us only what we can bear. I'm not sure I can bear this. Can one trip to SW FL be normal? Just one? Especially this one?

September 24, 2024, 08:29 PM

V-Tail

So sorry for your loss.

Re travel, the storm track is forecast to be west. Any possibility that you could fly to Orlando in the center of the peninsula, or to the Miami on the east, and drive from there?

Or maybe take the auto-train to Sanford and then drive?

September 25, 2024, 02:24 AM

Mustang-PaPa

Sorry you lost your mother and are also having to deal with the travel mess.
Take care and be safe. Hope thing go smooth for you.

September 25, 2024, 02:59 AM

trapper189

You have my condolences.

Looks like RSW has a 5-10% chance of 39mph winds starting at 8am EDT tomorrow building to a 30-40% chance by 8pm EDT tomorrow evening.

Miami or Fort Lauderdale would be better bets plus the drive to Fort Myers is easier and a hour less than it will be from Orlando.

Another option would be leaving today to driving the entire way.

September 25, 2024, 04:40 AM

4MUL8R

If only I could drive today, but a major customer presentation requires my presence. I am privileged to share technical details of several performance tests from 1300 to 1600. Then, packing tonight.

I do like the idea of FLL as a different airport. Maybe AA will allow shifts there should RSW be closed or delayed.

September 25, 2024, 07:14 AM

trapper189

The 8am EDT update from the NHC has the cone shifted more to the west than it was before. The wind speed probability charts are about the same.

I hope you get where you need to be when you need to be there.

September 25, 2024, 10:19 AM

ZSMICHAEL

Funeral plans can be changed. Do you want to be in a special interest story with some breathless airhead? It begins with "Billy Bob drove all the way to" for a funeral.

September 25, 2024, 12:17 PM

HRK

MCO and FLL are still open, right now Southwest FL Airport is still operating,

https://flyrsw.com/

You would need to check the carriers to be sure they are operating into that airport.

As others said it's moving westerly.

Unless that High moves considerably in the next day it looks to make landfall in the Cedar Key/Tallahassee area.

September 25, 2024, 06:06 PM

ZSMICHAEL

There is a simple solution here. Move the funeral. I know funeral directors do this all the time. I do not like trying to outguess the weather,and driving through squalls REALLY sucks.
This is a solemn affair there is no need to turn this into an Adventure story.

September 25, 2024, 06:06 PM

4MUL8R

And, Thursday flights cancelled. Rebooked Friday morning with a 30 minute connection time in CLT. Maybe this will work. All travel websites are crawling with traffic.

Can you imagine how in 1995 all these changes would be manually processed -- by phone, or travel agent? There would be no way.

Regarding changing the funeral...there is just no way. So many people are traveling. So many people are attending. So much planning and so many conflicts possible with the pastors and churches involved.

September 25, 2024, 06:23 PM

ZSMICHAEL

Let us know how things work out. Attending both funerals of my parents months apart. Immediate family only which kept things small. On both trips got stuck in between. It is a rather lonely feeling sitting alone in an airport having just attended the funeral of your mother. The fact that it was New Years Eve and all the restaurants were closed made it quite memorable.

September 26, 2024, 05:20 AM

trapper189

quote:
Originally posted by 4MUL8R:
And, Thursday flights cancelled. Rebooked Friday morning with a 30 minute connection time in CLT. Maybe this will work. All travel websites are crawling with traffic.

Can you imagine how in 1995 all these changes would be manually processed -- by phone, or travel agent? There would be no way.

Regarding changing the funeral...there is just no way. So many people are traveling. So many people are attending. So much planning and so many conflicts possible with the pastors and churches involved.

Friday is a much better travel day than today, so I think it’ll work. Expedia really changed the game. I don’t even remember how I booked tickets before then.

September 26, 2024, 06:01 AM

spunk639

Sorry for your loss, prayers.

September 26, 2024, 01:51 PM

HRK

FYI Tampa is closed but MCO (Orlando) is still open, so far we've received some rain, no flooding, light winds since yesterday.

Most of the state south of us looks pretty clear of course there will be bands that come through as the storm rotates.

September 27, 2024, 01:24 AM

trapper189

Good luck today.

September 27, 2024, 07:07 AM

4MUL8R

Flying through Charlotte. Hope by 2:30 pm it will be normal.

September 27, 2024, 07:41 AM

trapper189

The water on my street has subsided and I’ve seen reports of the water subsiding in Fort Myers as well. I believe the Sanibel Causeway is still closed.