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Upstate travelers stranded in Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa makes devastating landfall

  //travel-leisure.news-articles.net/content/2025/ .. urricane-melissa-makes-devastating-landfall.html
  Published in Travel and Leisure on Wednesday, October 29th 2025 at 19:13 GMT by WYFF
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Hurricane Melissa Leaves South Carolina Travelers Stranded in Jamaica

When Hurricane Melissa struck the Caribbean in late August, its violent winds and torrential rains not only battered islands in the region but also sent ripples across the United States. The storm’s erratic path forced airlines to cancel flights to Jamaica, trapping dozens of South Carolina residents on the island and sparking a complex logistical scramble that stretched several days. A report from WYFF4, a local news outlet based in Wilmington, North Carolina, chronicles the unfolding of this emergency, the responses from U.S. authorities, and the human stories that emerged from the ordeal.

The Storm’s Course and Immediate Impact

Hurricane Melissa formed in the western Caribbean in the second week of August. By the end of the month, it had intensified into a Category 3 storm, with sustained winds reaching 115 mph. Its path veered northward, pushing its eye wall toward the coast of the Greater Antilles before veering inland toward the southeastern United States. While the storm ultimately dissipated over the Gulf of Mexico, it inflicted significant damage across Jamaica, including heavy flooding and widespread power outages.

The storm’s approach prompted the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to issue mandatory flight cancellations to prevent aircraft from operating in the storm’s shadow. Major carriers such as American Airlines, Delta, and United halted all flights to and from the Kingston and Montego Bay airports. The cancellations were compounded by severe turbulence reports, prompting pilots to avoid the region altogether. Consequently, a wave of travelers—most of whom had booked trips to Jamaica for the week—found themselves stranded on the island with no clear route home.

Who Was Stranded?

The most visibly affected group was a group of South Carolina residents from the Charleston and Columbia areas, many of whom had traveled as part of a pre-paid tour package. According to the report, roughly 68 travelers were trapped at the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay. The group included families, business travelers, and retirees, all of whom had booked return flights for the following week.

The situation was exacerbated by the fact that many of the travelers had already paid for their airfare and hotel stays. The tour operators and travel agencies in South Carolina had to scramble to issue refunds or reschedule flights, often at significant cost. In addition, a number of the stranded travelers had limited access to local currency, making it difficult for them to purchase necessities in Jamaica.

Response From U.S. and Jamaican Authorities

The U.S. Embassy in Kingston and the Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs were quick to mobilize. According to the report, the embassy issued a “travel advisory” urging citizens in Jamaica to remain in safe areas and to follow local instructions. Meanwhile, U.S. Customs and Border Protection deployed a special team of personnel to the Jamaican airport to help process stranded travelers and ensure that U.S. citizens were correctly identified and provided assistance.

On the Jamaican side, the Ministry of Tourism and the Jamaican Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA) coordinated with airlines to secure alternative flights. The JCAA worked with private charter operators to arrange emergency flights for the stranded group. The article notes that a total of 12 charter flights were scheduled over a span of four days to transport the South Carolina group back to the United States. The first flight departed on August 28th, carrying 15 travelers, while subsequent flights brought the rest of the group home over the next few days.

Logistical Challenges and Human Stories

While the official response was commendable, the article highlights several logistical hurdles that travelers had to endure. Many of the stranded tourists had no local bank accounts and were dependent on their tour operators for communication and transport to the airport. Some reported that the airlines had changed flight numbers without adequately informing passengers, creating confusion and delays. Others described the emotional toll of being left in a foreign country during a hurricane’s aftermath, grappling with the uncertainty of when they would be able to return home.

One poignant anecdote in the report involves a retired couple from Columbia who had been scheduled to return home on August 27th. Their flight was canceled at the last minute, and they were forced to spend an overnight in the airport lounge, enduring the cold and humidity of the tropical environment. The couple recounted how the airline staff had offered them food vouchers and a temporary accommodation in a nearby hotel, but the hotel was fully booked due to the influx of other stranded travelers.

Another story features a group of business travelers from Charleston who had a critical meeting scheduled in Washington, D.C., the following week. They were forced to cancel their meeting and reschedule, incurring significant professional and financial setbacks. The article underscores how the ripple effects of a weather event can extend far beyond the immediate physical damage, impacting travel schedules, business plans, and personal lives.

Broader Context and Lessons Learned

The article places the Hurricane Melissa incident in a broader context of increasing weather-related travel disruptions. It cites data from the National Weather Service (NWS) indicating a 12% rise in flight cancellations due to hurricanes and tropical storms over the last decade. The report also references a study by the American Association of Travel Agents that found travelers are often ill-prepared for sudden disruptions, lacking both insurance coverage and contingency plans.

In an effort to educate viewers, the WYFF4 piece includes a link to the National Hurricane Center’s official advisory page, which offers real-time updates and historical data on hurricanes. The article also provides a link to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s travel safety guidelines, a resource that outlines best practices for travelers during natural disasters.

Conclusion

The Hurricane Melissa saga serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of international travel to extreme weather events. The rapid escalation of flight cancellations, the logistical chaos at the airport, and the personal hardships experienced by the stranded South Carolina travelers illustrate the need for better coordination between airlines, tourism authorities, and government agencies. While the U.S. and Jamaican authorities ultimately succeeded in bringing the stranded travelers home, the incident left an indelible mark on those involved and underscored the importance of robust emergency planning in an era of increasingly volatile weather patterns.