Post-Milton, Florida Airports Work To Restore Service

Post-Milton, Florida Airports Pick Up the Pieces

Following the Category 3 storm, most Florida airports are back in service

Damage to Sheltair facility at KSPG — Airports directly in the path of Hurricane Milton such as Albert Whitted Airport in St. Petersburg received heavy impact from the storm's Category 3 winds. © Sheltair Aviation

By Curt Epstein • Business Aviation Services Editor

October 11, 2024

Airports across Florida are shrugging off the results of Hurricane Milton today. The storm came ashore as a Category 3 hurricane on Wednesday evening just south of Sarasota on the state’s Gulf Coast. Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport (KSRQ) will remain shuttered until at least tomorrow as workers continue to clean up and assess damage to the airport’s infrastructure.

Fredrick Piccolo, president and CEO of the Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority, told AIN that the eye of the storm passed directly over the airport, causing the loss of the roof to its commercial concourse, which is currently scattered across its ramps, runways, and taxiways. He also reported damage to a dozen hangars on the field. While power was restored to the main airport around midnight last night, Piccolo said the FBOs are on a different line and would be running on generators. He expects the airport to reopen to GA traffic at noon on Saturday, with commercial service to follow next week, pending TSA approval.

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