Jamaican Airports Aim for Reopening After Hurricane

Officials coordinate relief flights and recovery efforts following the island’s most powerful storm on record.

Matt Ryan

Thursday, October 30, 2025 at 02:44 PM ET

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Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, Jamaica, in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa [Credit: @KarenC461288377 via X]

Key Takeaways:

Jamaica's major airports, Norman Manley and Sangster International, remain closed following widespread damage from Category 5 Hurricane Melissa.
Efforts are underway to reopen the airports by Thursday/Friday, initially for relief operations, with smaller airfields already supporting humanitarian aid.
A rapid reopening of the airports is crucial for both delivering vital relief supplies and restoring Jamaica's tourism-dependent economy.

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Jamaica’s airports remain closed to most traffic following the passage of Hurricane Melissa, the Category 5 storm that brought 185 mph winds and record rainfall across the island on Tuesday.

Norman Manley International Airport (MKJP) in Kingston has been closed since Saturday night, and Sangster International in Montego Bay since Sunday afternoon, after aviation authorities ordered suspensions ahead of the hurricane’s landfall.