Jamaica Reopens Major Airports After Hurricane Melissa: Montego Bay, Kingston, And Saint Mary Resume Limited Flights Amid Recovery Efforts

Published on October 31, 2025

Jamaica, a Caribbean destination known for its rhythm, resilience, and earthy beauty, is now entering a important betterment shape pursuing nan devastating effect of Hurricane Melissa — 1 of nan astir powerful storms successful caller Atlantic history. As of Thursday morning, nan island’s cardinal airports, including Sangster International successful Montego Bay, Norman Manley successful Kingston, and Ian Fleming successful Saint Mary Parish, person begun to resume operations, marking an basal measurement toward restoring connectivity for residents, alleviation workers, and visitors.

The hurricane, which struck Jamaica connected Tuesday night, brought torrential rains exceeding 12 inches, catastrophic winds, and wide powerfulness outages. Its transition near infrastructure severely damaged, disrupted aerial travel, and temporarily halted operations astatine each awesome airports. Emergency and authorities consequence teams person been moving tirelessly to clear runways, repair facilities, and reconstruct aerial connectivity to nan island, which remains a captious hub for Caribbean recreation and commerce.

While airdrome reopenings awesome progress, nan state continues to navigate dense flight cancellations, logistical challenges, and ongoing betterment efforts successful affected communities. Sangster International Airport (MBJ) — nan busiest gateway for world travelers — sustained structural harm to 1 of its concourses, though runways stay intact. Norman Manley International (KIN) and Ian Fleming (OCJ) are now unfastened for constricted commercialized service, pinch priority fixed to alleviation flights and basal travel.

Beyond Jamaica, Turks and Caicos Islands are besides gradually reopening their airports aft upwind disruptions. Meanwhile, respective airlines — including American Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest, and United Airlines — person extended travel waivers to passengers affected by nan storm, providing elasticity arsenic normal operations resume.

Jamaica’s Airports Reopen Following Hurricane Melissa

In nan aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, Jamaica’s aviation authorities and airdrome guidance teams person begun coordinated reopening efforts. The privilege remains to restore safe and businesslike aerial travel while continuing infrastructure assessments.

• Sangster International Airport (MBJ), Montego Bay: Jamaica’s superior world hub reopened for emergency flights connected Wednesday and resumed limited commercialized work Thursday morning.
• Norman Manley International Airport (KIN), Kingston: Reopened for relief operations Wednesday afternoon and commercial flights Thursday astatine 8 a.m.
• Ian Fleming International Airport (OCJ), Saint Mary Parish: Reopened for commercial work astatine 7 a.m. Thursday.

According to flight-tracking information from FlightAware, complete 86% of flights from Montego Bay and 50% from Kingston stay cancelled arsenic airlines activity done storm-related disruptions.

Sangster International Airport: Gradual Recovery successful Montego Bay

Located connected Jamaica’s northbound coast, Sangster International Airport (MBJ) endured immoderate of nan storm’s heaviest impact. The airport, which serves arsenic Jamaica’s main introduction constituent for tourists, sustained damage to concourse gates 1 done five, including a collapsed tile section.

Despite visible damage, runway integrity remains sound, allowing nan airdrome to facilitate emergency operations. Airport authorities, successful coordination pinch nan Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA) and nationalist emergency services, confirmed that flights are resuming successful phases, prioritizing world carriers pinch basal cargo and humanitarian aid.

Key specifications from nan site:

• Runways and taxiways: Declared safe for operations.
• Concourse damage: Localized to 1 terminal wing; repairs underway.
• Passenger volume: Operating beneath 25% of normal capacity for nan adjacent 48 hours.

Sangster’s 2nd concourse — serving world departures to North America and Europe — knowledgeable minimal structural damage and is expected to big regular departures by nan weekend.

Norman Manley and Ian Fleming: Reconnecting Eastern Jamaica

In Kingston, nan Norman Manley International Airport (KIN) reopened Thursday morning, reconnecting Jamaica’s superior pinch location and world routes. Although half of nan 30 scheduled departures were cancelled owed to hose and unit rescheduling, airdrome authorities study unchangeable infrastructure and restored utilities.

Farther northeast, Ian Fleming International Airport (OCJ) — Jamaica’s boutique location airdrome successful Saint Mary Parish — resumed normal commercialized activity astatine 7 a.m. Thursday. This reopening supports home and location recreation crossed smaller Caribbean routes, helping reestablish Jamaica’s aviation web aft a 72-hour shutdown.

Both airports person implemented temporary schedule adjustments to negociate reduced staffing, craft repositioning, and post-storm logistics.

Regional Impacts: Turks and Caicos Airports Also Reopen

Beyond Jamaica, Turks and Caicos Islands faced important operational disruptions from Hurricane Melissa’s outer bands. By Thursday morning, Providenciales International Airport (PLS) and 5 different airports nether nan Turks and Caicos Islands Airport Authority had resumed afloat operations.

However, formation information shows over 40% of scheduled departures cancelled, prompting section authorities to counsel passengers to check pinch airlines earlier traveling. These islands service arsenic an important location connector for Caribbean and U.S. routes, amplifying nan storm’s ripple effects crossed neighboring nations.

Airlines Issue Flexible Travel Waivers

Major U.S. carriers person issued travel waivers for passengers impacted by Hurricane Melissa, providing fee-free changes and elastic rebooking windows. The pursuing hose policies stay active:

• American Airlines: Waiver valid for recreation done Nov. 2 astatine L.F. Wade International (BDA), Bermuda, pinch rebooking permitted done Nov. 5.
• JetBlue: Waivers for Kingston (KIN) and Montego Bay (MBJ) valid done Nov. 8, pinch rebooking options done Nov. 16. Additional waivers for Providenciales (PLS) and Bermuda (BDA) widen done early November.
• Southwest Airlines: Waivers for Montego Bay (MBJ) done Nov. 2 and Providenciales (PLS) done Nov. 1, allowing free rebooking aliases standby recreation wrong 14 days.
• United Airlines: Multiple waivers for Montego Bay (MBJ), Grand Cayman (GCM), Nassau (NAS), and Providenciales (PLS) done Oct. 31, pinch rebooking permitted until Nov. 7. An extended waiver for Bermuda (BDA) covers recreation done Nov. 9.

These waivers guarantee that affected passengers tin adjust itineraries without financial penalties arsenic Caribbean aerial routes stabilize.

Jamaica’s Transport Ministry Coordinates Nationwide Response

The Jamaican Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation Authority are moving pinch location airdrome operators and airlines to measure afloat harm reports and prioritize infrastructure recovery. Efforts include:

• Restoration of power to airdrome power towers and radar systems.
• Clearing debris from runways and tarmac areas.
• Recalibration of navigational aids for formation safety.
• Coordination pinch airlines to negociate stranded rider rebookings.

Government alleviation teams proceed distributing emergency supplies to affected regions, including Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, and Portmore, while aerial connectivity remains basal for alleviation logistics.

Broader Caribbean Air Travel Disruptions

The storm’s way crossed nan occidental Atlantic disrupted aggregate Caribbean aviation hubs, causing cascading delays crossed U.S. and Caribbean formation networks. Major disruptions were noted in:

• Grand Cayman (GCM)
• Nassau, Bahamas (NAS)
• Providenciales, Turks and Caicos (PLS)
• Bermuda (BDA)

Despite reopenings, connectivity remains limited owed to craft repositioning and aerial postulation power workload guidance crossed nan region.

Traveler Guidance: What Passengers Should Know

As airports reopen, passengers readying to recreation to aliases from Jamaica and adjacent Caribbean islands should return nan pursuing steps:

• Confirm formation status straight pinch nan hose earlier departing for nan airport.
• Allow other time for check-in and information owed to operational backlogs.
• Monitor upwind updates and hose advisories done charismatic channels.
• Expect schedule changes arsenic airlines gradually resume normal timetables.
• Use hose waivers to rebook flights without further fees during nan affected period.

Travelers should statement that ground transport crossed Jamaica whitethorn still look delays, peculiarly on coastal routes and areas impacted by flooding.

Economic Impact and Tourism Outlook

While nan reopening of airports is simply a affirmative sign, Jamaica’s tourism sector — a cornerstone of nan island’s system — faces ongoing betterment challenges. Initial estimates propose millions successful damages to tourism infrastructure, including resorts, roads, and section businesses. However, nan country’s swift consequence underscores its resilience and readiness to invited visitors backmost safely.

Tourism authorities expect that by early November, astir world flights will person resumed, supported by beardown request for wintertime travel. Airlines person reaffirmed commitments to maintaining Caribbean routes, reflecting continued assurance successful Jamaica’s semipermanent tourism stability.

Key Updates astatine a Glance

• Country: Jamaica
• Main airports reopened: Sangster (MBJ), Norman Manley (KIN), Ian Fleming (OCJ)
• Airlines issuing waivers: American, JetBlue, Southwest, United
• Regional recovery: Turks and Caicos, Bermuda, and Cayman Islands
• Current recreation status: Limited operations pinch important cancellations
• Expected afloat recovery: Early November 2025

Bottom Line:
Jamaica is steadily restoring aerial operations pursuing nan catastrophic Hurricane Melissa, pinch awesome airports reopening and airlines reestablishing location routes. As repairs advancement and elasticity policies stay successful place, nan island’s aviation web — captious to its system and tourism — is erstwhile again connecting Jamaica to nan Caribbean and world recreation markets.