What happens if my flight is cancelled due to Hurricane Beryl? Everything you need to know

At least seven people have been killed in Jamaica and thousands more are still assessing the damage after Hurricane Beryl hit the island’s southern coast in the early hours of Thursday.

Although Beryl was downgraded from a “potentially catastrophic” Category 5 hurricane to a Category 4, it remains one of the most powerful hurricanes to ever hit the country, bringing winds of up to 135 mph (215 km/h).

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness extended an island-wide curfew until 6 a.m. local time (1100 GMT) on Thursday and a flash flood warning is also in effect.

Since leaving the island, Beryl has weakened to a Category 3 storm. As of Thursday, it was heading toward the Yucatan Peninsula in southern Mexico, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

What is Hurricane Beryl and what damage has it caused so far?

Hurricane Beryl is the first storm of its type to reach Category 4 in the Atlantic during the month of July.

Despite the downgrade from Category 5, the Jamaica Meteorological Service warned that continued periods of rain from the storm could “lead to flash flooding in low-lying and flood-prone areas of the island.”

As of Thursday morning, more than 400,000 people were without power, according to the Jamaica Public Service Company (PSC).

Taking to X – formerly Twitter – Holness urged residents to “take all necessary measures for your safety and the protection of your property” and thanked “first responders, essential services, security forces and good Samaritans who have helped others during this time of crisis.”

“This storm will pass and we will recover,” the Prime Minister added.

The smaller neighbouring islands of Mayreau and Union Island in the Lesser Antilles were hit even harder.

According to local reports, about 95% of homes were damaged by Hurricane Beryl.

Authorities say three people were killed in Grenada and Carriacou and another death was recorded in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

In northern Venezuela, three more deaths have been reported and four people remain missing, while in Granada, one person lost his life after a tree fell on a house.

Where is Hurricane Beryl headed next and what impact could it have?

On Thursday, the hurricane will head west and reach Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula late Thursday or early Friday. Although it has been downgraded to a Category 3, parts of the peninsula and Belize are expecting strong winds, dangerous storm surges and heavy rainfall.

From Friday until the beginning of next week, the United States National Hurricane Service He said the forecast remains uncertain but Beryl could potentially pose a risk to the Mexican coast and southern Texas.

If it turns north over the Gulf rather than continuing west, it could eventually hit the coasts of Texas and Louisiana.

Is it safe to travel to areas affected by Hurricane Beryl?

The British Foreign Office has advised against Jamaica and the Yucatan Peninsulabut recommends that people planning to travel there “follow and monitor local and international weather updates from the United States National Hurricane Center and follow the advice of local authorities, including any evacuation orders.”

Barbados, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago have also received travel warnings.

Several British and European airlines have cancelled flights to the region.

A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson told the Independent newspaper: “Due to the adverse weather conditions expected as a result of Hurricane Beryl, we are working with affected airports and partners to minimise disruption to our services, however some flights are subject to delays and cancellations due to the closure of Barbados airport.

“We are contacting affected customers regarding their travel arrangements.”

Airports in St. Vincent and Barbados remain closed, with the latter yet to offer a reopening date.

What should I do if my flight to or from the affected region is cancelled?

As always, it is best to contact your flight and accommodation providers to see what can be done to cancel or postpone your trip.

However, as some regions are not under travel warnings, the likelihood of getting a refund is slightly less clear than usual.

If your flight is cancelled by the airline or travel agency, you still have the right to choose between a refund, re-routing or return.

As soon as you choose one of these three options, you will no longer have rights to the other two.

The airline is required to get you to your destination as quickly as possible, even if that means traveling with another carrier.

If they are unable to offer you re-routing or ensure that you return under comparable transport conditions as soon as possible, they are legally required to refund the price of your flight.

If an airline does not give you the option to change your ticket and you instead purchase another ticket home under comparable travel conditions, it will give you the difference in price between your original ticket and the cost of the new ticket.

You still have this choice if the cancellation occurs after the plane has taken off but you have been forced to return to the departure airport.

Airlines are also required to give you the choice of cash or a voucher when refunding.

For more information on cancellations, read our handy guide here.