No airlines issued any travel alerts before Hurricane Otis impacted Acapulco; so for November 2023, travel alerts have been issued by some airlines because of severe damage to the infrastructure in western Mexico along the coast of the Pacific Ocean.
Hurricane Otis Impacted Acapulco: November 2023 Travel Alert
The reason why no travel alerts or waivers were issued by airlines is because Hurricane Otis shattered regional records for the strength and speed of its intensification. Tropical Storm Otis still was not a hurricane on the afternoon of Tuesday, October 24, 2023…
…yet fewer than ten hours later at approximately 12:25 in the morning on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, the landfall of Hurricane Otis occurred near Acapulco as a Category 5 hurricane with sustained winds of 165 miles per hour — arguably as the strongest hurricane on record to hit the Pacific Coast of Mexico; and the fastest-strengthening storm on record in the northeast Pacific Ocean basin. Storm surge, flooding, and mudslides — as well as damage to infrastructure and an airport — have been reported in the state of Guerrero.
Unusually warm water in the Pacific Ocean is suspected to be the cause of the unexpected rapid intensification of the hurricane.
“Otis had ‘all the right ingredients’ for rapid intensification”, according to Scott Braun, who is a project scientist for the mission of the Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats and a research meteorologist at the Goddard Space Flight Center of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the United States, according to this article of NASA Earth Observatory. “Those include elements such as warm sea surface temperatures, a deep layer of warm ocean water, lots of moisture, and relatively low vertical wind shear. ‘Conditions were present for rapid intensification, but it is hard to say at this time why the rate and magnitude of intensification were so great’.”
In other words, Hurricane Otis was poorly forecasted, as it caught scientists off guard partly because of a lack of data. Few people really saw the pending disaster coming — and by the time what was happening was realized, it was too late.
At least 48 people died as a result of the impact of Hurricane Otis, with dozens of people still reported missing.
The federal government of Mexico unveiled a $3.4 billion recovery plan earlier today, Wednesday, November 1, 2023 for the battered coastal resort city of Acapulco.
Flight Waivers, Delays, and Cancellations
Hurricane Otis is long gone; but the damage to infrastructure is extensive. If you are traveling to Acapulco within the next two months or so, expect delays and cancellations of flights. Keep up to date on the latest information pertaining to the aftermath of this tropical weather system which may affect your travel plans.
If you have a flight scheduled, your flight may be delayed or canceled — and you may be eligible for a waiver of a fee to change your itinerary. If you are driving in any of these areas, watch out for closed roads and damaged infrastructure.
Here are five airlines which have issued travel alerts as a result of the aftermath of this tropical weather system:
- American Airlines has issued a travel alert for Acapulco for Monday, October 30, 2023 through Sunday, January 7, 2024; and Friday, February 9, 2024 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
- Delta Air Lines has issued a travel alert for Acapulco for Friday, October 27, 2023 through Tuesday, November 7, 2023; and Tuesday, November 14, 2023 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
- United Airlines has issued a travel alert for Acapulco for Saturday, October 28, 2023 through Sunday, November 5, 2023; and Sunday, November 5, 2023 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
- Aeromexico has issued a travel alert for Acapulco for Tuesday, October 24, 2023 through Monday, January 8, 2024; and Wednesday, February 28, 2024 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has issued a travel alert for Acapulco for Saturday, October 28, 2023 through Tuesday, November 7, 2023; and Tuesday, November 14, 2023 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
Final Boarding Call
Be sure to contact your airline or transportation provider for the latest information pertaining to your travels — if they are adversely affected — and please: travel safely.
Source: NASA Earth Observatory image by Michala Garrison, using VIIRS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE, GIBS/Worldview, and the Joint Polar Satellite System.
