New Orleans airport to shut at 6 p.m. Sunday as Hurricane Gustav approaches

New Orleans will close its airport to commercial flights about 6 p.m. Sunday as the city braces for Hurricane Gustav. Ticketed passengers are urged to contact their respective airlines “as soon as possible,” according to a statement today by the Air Transport Assn.

Gustav, a dangerous Category 4 hurricane that killed 81 people in the Caribbean, slammed Cuba today. Forecasters say the hurricane could gather even more strength as it moves toward the U.S., according to the Associated Press. Thousands spent today evacuating New Orleans before the storm is expected to hit the Gulf Coast.

“As Hurricane Gustav approaches the Gulf Coast, ticketed passengers and those wanting to leave the area should contact the individual airlines directly and travel to the airport as soon as possible,” the statement said.

The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport’s website is reporting that parking garages are full, and there’s no food and beverage service inside the terminal. Avis and Budget rental-car customers who can’t get a flight out of New Orleans may return vehicles in other states, the website said.

The website provides a list of the last flights out of New Orleans on Sunday, including the latest one on American Airlines scheduled for 6:35 p.m.

–Mary Forgione, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

[Photo: New Orleans residents board a bus during the evacuation from the approaching Hurricane Gustav at the Greyhound Bus and Amtrak station in New Orleans. Amy Sancetta / Associated Press]

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This entry was posted on Saturday, August 30, 2008 at 6:39 pm by Mary Forgione and is filed under Airline travel, Business Travel, Caribbean, New Orleans & Louisiana, News, Tips & Advice, Southern States. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.