St. Thomas Airport Reopens After Hurricanes Irma, Maria

Airports in the U.S. Virgin Islands, which suffered heavy damage from Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria, are starting to reopen.

According to the latest update from the Virgin Islands Port Authority (VIPA), the Cyril E. King Airport on St. Thomas reopened to commercial flights today, with American Airlines and Delta operating one flight each. Cape Air is expected to resume flights between St. Thomas and St. Croix on Saturday. Travelers are advised to contact their airline directly for flight schedules.

VIPA thanks the US military, federal and local agencies, Custom Builders (contractor) and its airline and airport tenant partners for their assistance in reopening CEKAs terminal just nine days after the territory was struck by its second Category 5 Hurricane in a single month, VIPA wrote in a statement on its official Facebook page.

The Rohlsen Airport Terminal on St. Croix also has a tentative reopening date of October 5.

A number of flight waivers are still in effect for St. Thomas and St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

American Airlines customers traveling through St. Thomas and St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands through April 2, 2018, can rebook through September 30, 2018 between the same city pair in the original cabin (or pay the difference). Customers can also contact reservations to change their origin or destination city, but a difference in fare will apply.

United Airlines will waive the change fee and any difference in fare for customers flying through St. Thomas through April 2, 2018, in the original cabin class between the same city pair. For wholly rescheduled travel departing after April 2, 2018, or for a change in departure or destination city, the change fee will be waived, but a difference in fare may apply. Rescheduled travel must be completed within one year of the date when the ticket was issued. All tickets must be reissued on or before October 31, 2017.

Delta customers who were scheduled to fly through St. Croix through September 20 can rebook through September 30, with rebooked travel to begin no later than that date.

JetBlue reports that customers traveling beyond September 30 through St. Croix and St. Thomas can change or cancel their flights. St. Croix customers flying through November 15 can rebook prior to the departure time of their originally scheduled flight. New flights must be rebooked by November 1 for travel through November 15. St. Thomas customers scheduled to fly through January 15, 2018, can rebook before the departure time of their originally scheduled flight. New flights must be rebooked by October 15, 2017, and travel must be completed by January 15, 2018.

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