The Atlantic Hurricane season is well underway, and with Hurricane Florence expected to make landfall in North Carolina on Thursday this week, residents have been ordered to vacate their homes, and tourists intending to visit the east coast are being encouraged to rebook or re-route their flights between 13^th – 16^th September.

Already visible from space, Hurricane Florence is currently listed as a category 4 storm, but the National Hurricane Centre has announced that, “some strengthening is expected during the next day or so” and that Hurricane Florence is, “expected to be an extremely dangerous major hurricane through Thursday night”.

Today, airline Virgin Atlantic sent out a bulletin offering its customers travelling to or through the following destinations the opportunity to change or reschedule their flights at no extra charge. This applies to travellers who purchased their ticket on or before 11^th September, and covers all departures between Thursday and Sunday this week:

• Charleston, South Carolina – Airport code CHS
• Fayetteville, North Carolina – Airport code FAY
• Greensboro, North Carolina – Airport code GSO
• Jacksonville, North Carolina – Airport Code OAJ
• Norfolk, Virginia – Airport Code ORF
• New Bern, North Carolina – Airport Code EWN
• Myrtle Beach, South Carolina – Airport Code MYR
• Newport News, Virginia – Airport Code PHF
• Raleigh Durham, North Carolina – Airport Code RDU
• Richmond, Virginia – Airport Code RIC
• Savannah, Georgia – Airport Code SAV
• Wilmington, North Carolina – Airport Code ILM

While it is not stated that all other airlines will follow suit, the Foreign Office has warned visitors to stay alert, and it is strongly recommended that anyone planning on visiting America’s mid-Atlantic coast over the next few days contact their airline to rearrange their flights.

Let us all hope that Florence changes its path between now and Thursday, and that the east coast escapes the most powerful storm to ever hit the region.