This is no tame feline. As this story goes live, Hurricane Felix is a Category 5 storm with winds upwards of 155mph. His proximate target is the Nicaragua-Honduras border. On the other side of Central America, off Mexico’s Pacific Coast, Tropical Storm Henriette was bearing down on Baja, packing winds of 75mph.
It’s a double whammy that’s playing havoc with late summer travel plans.
One of the prime players in Central America is Continental Airlines, whose megahub at Bush Houston Intercontinental Airport (IAH) funnels fliers in and out of the region. Continental says it is offering travelers “ticketing flexibility” in areas impacted by either Felix or Henriette.
If you’ve got travel plans for the following cities, you can reroute travel once – without penalty – through September 10:
– Aruba (AUA)
– Belize City (BZE)
– Guatemala City (GUA)
– Los Cabos (SJD)
– Roatan (RTB)
– San Pedro Sula (SAP)
– San Salvador (SAL)
– Tegucigalpa (TGU)
Change the origin or destination city, and Continental says there may be additional charges. If the flight has been cancelled you can request a refund.
Discount airline Spirit is a growing carrier in Central America, with routes to San Pedro Sula and Guatemala City. It has instituted a Hurricane Buster Protection policy. If you’re due to travel on September 4 or 5 to (or from) the area, the airline will waive any change fee and difference in fare provided you rebook travel plans before the date and time of the original reservation, and travel on or before October 2. If you move that travel date beyond October 2, there will be no change fee, but you will have to pay any applicable fare differences.
Other carriers to the region have their own policies in place to deal with Felix and Henriette. Check their Web sites. For specific flight cancellations over the next few days, visit FlightStats.
© Cheapflights Ltd Jerry Chandler
