JetBlue offers $99 flights for evacuees returning to Florida
As one of the strongest storms to ever hit Florida's southwest coast, Hurricane Irma prompted thousands of residents to evacuate the state.
Now as many Floridians start to prepare to return home, JetBlue is offering $99 direct flights to the Sunshine State.
The airline plans to begin offering some service to Florida on Tuesday, working up to a full schedule of flights by the end of the week. Approximately 900 flights have been cancelled through Friday, as JetBlue works to get crews and planes back to Florida.
"We are working closely with local authorities to determine airport conditions and ramp up flights in cities impacted by Hurricane Irma," the airline said in a press release on Monday afternoon. Additional cancellations may still be made this week, according to JetBlue.
Any remaining seats through Friday will be made available only to customers with previously cancelled flights, JetBlue said. Tickets for flights to Florida on Saturday through next Monday are available for any customers to book online at reduced fares. Direct flights are $99 and connecting flights are $159.
JetBlue continues to waive cancellation fees, change fees and differences in airfare for rebooking.
The airline capped fare prices on flights out of Florida last week as some evacuees faced astronomically high fares from some companies.
In preparation for the storm, an additional 90 flights have been added to JetBlue's schedule to help customers and crew members, according to the airline.
Alison Main is an intern with Real Time. She is originally from St. Louis, but she currently lives in Los Angeles, where she studies Broadcast and Digital Journalism at the University of Southern California. Alison has previously interned at CNN, both with "CNN Tonight with Don Lemon" and with the New York news bureau. The highlight of her journalism career (so far) was serving as political director for USC Annenberg Media during the 2016 election season.
