Jamaica After Landfall: Airports, Power, Roads, Timelines

Jamaica is now a declared disaster area after Hurricane Melissa made a historic, catastrophic landfall on October 28. The strongest storm on record to hit the island damaged infrastructure across multiple parishes, cut power to hundreds of thousands, and forced the closure of both international airports. Travelers should plan around several days of phased restarts, beginning with power and road clearing, followed by airport systems checks and limited relief operations before commercial schedules resume.

Airport status and reopening path

On Wednesday morning, both Norman Manley International Airport (KIN) and Sangster International Airport (MBJ) remained closed to regular flights. Active NOTAMs state "no air traffic services available due to Hurricane Melissa," with published validity through midday Thursday for each aerodrome. Operators will not reopen terminals until runways, nav-aids, and terminal systems are inspected and power and staffing are in place.

Sangster's operator confirmed a temporary closure from October 26 and is coordinating restoration with authorities. Local and international outlets reported interior water damage at Montego Bay, which may extend inspections before full passenger operations return. Relief or assessment flights could precede commercial service once safety criteria are met.

Power and water restoration cadence

Outages peaked above 500,000 customers, with hardest-hit parishes including St Elizabeth, Manchester, Hanover, and St James. Jamaica Information Service reported roughly 240,000 without power at one government briefing as conditions deteriorated, with later press and live coverage indicating the total climbed above half a million as lines and feeders failed under wind and flooding. Restoration is being staged by damage severity and critical-needs sites.

The National Water Commission signaled most major systems remain operable but are constrained by turbidity and loss of electricity, and the government pre-positioned generators to prioritize hospitals and essential facilities. Travelers should expect intermittent supply and conservation requests in resort areas until grid stability improves.

Road passability to resort corridors

The National Works Agency and local authorities report flooding, debris, and washouts affecting key arteries, with bridge and road lists flagged as impassable during and after the core of the storm. This is most acute on approaches that feed Montego Bay, Negril, and Ocho Rios, where landslides and standing water will keep transfer times uncertain until crews finish clearance and safety checks. Travelers should wait on formal "all-clear" notices from hotels or tour operators before attempting overland moves.

Shelters and cut-off areas

Authorities activated the National Emergency Operations Centre and opened more than 881 shelters islandwide before landfall. As of late Tuesday, officials said close to 15,000 people were being accommodated, with some communities still difficult to reach. Shelters will remain open as long as needed while access improves and utilities return.

Waivers and what to do now

Delta's Hurricane Melissa advisory lists Kingston and Montego Bay among affected cities, with flexibility for customers to change dates, reroute, or cancel depending on fare rules. American and Virgin Atlantic have also issued waivers or flexible policies for Jamaica across the October 25 to early November window. If your booking is with another carrier, check its travel alerts page for the current window and covered airports.

If you hold a near-term booking into or out of Jamaica, your best move is to use the airline's app or website to select a protected change, avoiding call queues. Travelers departing the island should not head to the airport until your carrier confirms an operating flight and your hotel or tour operator confirms road conditions are safe for transfers. Expect a "thinned" initial schedule even after reopening, as crews, aircraft, and ATC capacity reset.

Background, how airport reopenings work

After a major hurricane, authorities sequence reopenings. Step one is airfield and obstacle inspections and restoring nav-aids. Step two is terminal power, water, and comms. Step three is staffing and security revalidation, then limited relief or ferry flights to prove systems. Only then do airlines scale back to commercial service with rolling schedules. NOTAM expiries are guidance, not guarantees, because they are often extended if inspections reveal new issues.

If you are in Jamaica

Reach your airline through its mobile app to pull rebooking options and push status notifications to your phone. Coordinate with your hotel or tour operator on the timing for a safe transfer, since road conditions vary by parish and time of day. If your flight is canceled or the road remains unsafe, extend your stay through your existing property or tour operator, documenting any extra nights for insurance. Keep identification handy for checkpoints and shelter access, and follow ODPEM and parish advisories for local all-clear times.

Final thoughts

The near-term recovery timeline hinges on power restoration, road clearance, and airfield checks at Kingston and Montego Bay. Watch NOTAM and airport operator updates, lean on active airline waivers, and plan for staggered restarts that bring relief and limited commercial flying before a fuller schedule returns.

Sources

• Reuters, "Hurricane Melissa hits Cuba after devastating Jamaica"
• Washington Post, live update on Jamaica disaster declaration and Cuba landfall
• Notamify, MKJP and MKJS NOTAMs showing ATS unavailability and closure windows
• MBJ Airports Limited, Advisory #6, temporary closure notice (PDF)
• Jamaica Information Service, airports closed ahead of Melissa; shelters; water restoration positioning
• Jamaica Observer, power outage counts; ODPEM NEOC activation
• National Water Commission updates via Gleaner and NWC channels
• Delta Air Lines hurricane advisory; American Airlines response; Virgin Atlantic policy page
• Business Insider travel disruption map and assessment flight expectations