Tampa International Airport is collaborating with its partners to try and reopen to the public at 8 a.m. Friday after a three-day flight suspension due to Hurricane Milton.
Currently, the airport remains closed to the public while cleanup and repairs continue. Some encouraging findings during the assessments include:
- Roadways are clear and parking garages are open and in good shape
- The FAA reports the air traffic control tower is ready for full operations
- The City of Tampa confirmed the Airport is not experiencing wastewater issues
- The Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting station had no significant damage
Among some challenges the Airport is currently addressing:
- TPA’s fuel depot lost power but is running on generator power while TECO is onsite assisting with permanent repairs.
- Six boarding bridges that move passengers from the Airsides to aircraft were damaged by high winds.
- Crews are still clearing debris across the campus and repairing leaks in parts of the Main Terminal and some gate hold areas.
- General Aviation fixed-base operator, Signature, has some significant structural damage, though no aircraft damage has been reported.
The cleanup process is taking longer than it did during Hurricane Helene, when the airport reopened promptly the morning after the storm hit.
