An unusual cold snap sweeping the U.S. Southeast forced Orlando International Airport (MCO) to halt all departures and arrivals for nearly two hours on 1 February after a fire-suppression sprinkler burst in the air-traffic-control tower. The Federal Aviation Administration initially labelled the incident a possible fire, prompting a full evacuation of controllers and an immediate ground stop. Investigators later determined that a temperature-induced pipe rupture had set off smoke alarms rather than flames.
The shutdown, lifted at 16:15 EST, caused 213 delays and 29 cancellations according to FlightAware, snarling connections across Delta, Southwest and JetBlue’s domestic and international networks. The disruption coincided with record lows—Orlando dipped to 24 °F, smashing an 80-year record—affecting ground equipment not built for freezing conditions.
![Extreme Cold Triggers Orlando Airport Ground Stop, Delaying 200+ Flights]()
While the cold front disrupted flights, it needn’t derail your paperwork: VisaHQ’s streamlined portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) lets travelers renew U.S. visas, obtain transit permits, or arrange last-minute documents for Caribbean and Latin American destinations without leaving home. Real-time tracking and expert support mean you can focus on rebooking flights instead of rushing embassy appointments when the weather turns.
For corporate mobility planners, the event is a reminder that climate volatility can hit even warm-weather hubs critical for Latin-American and Caribbean itineraries. Travellers with tight project timelines should ensure tickets are booked on flexible fares and enrol in airline IRROPS (irregular-operations) alert systems. Employers relocating staff to Florida should also review temporary-housing clauses that cover weather-related delays in household-goods shipments and lease start dates.
The FAA said it will review cold-weather resilience at towers across southern states. Airport authorities plan to install insulation around exposed sprinkler mains before next winter season, but advised airlines that additional de-icing equipment may be required if polar outbreaks become more common.
The shutdown, lifted at 16:15 EST, caused 213 delays and 29 cancellations according to FlightAware, snarling connections across Delta, Southwest and JetBlue’s domestic and international networks. The disruption coincided with record lows—Orlando dipped to 24 °F, smashing an 80-year record—affecting ground equipment not built for freezing conditions.
While the cold front disrupted flights, it needn’t derail your paperwork: VisaHQ’s streamlined portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) lets travelers renew U.S. visas, obtain transit permits, or arrange last-minute documents for Caribbean and Latin American destinations without leaving home. Real-time tracking and expert support mean you can focus on rebooking flights instead of rushing embassy appointments when the weather turns.
For corporate mobility planners, the event is a reminder that climate volatility can hit even warm-weather hubs critical for Latin-American and Caribbean itineraries. Travellers with tight project timelines should ensure tickets are booked on flexible fares and enrol in airline IRROPS (irregular-operations) alert systems. Employers relocating staff to Florida should also review temporary-housing clauses that cover weather-related delays in household-goods shipments and lease start dates.
The FAA said it will review cold-weather resilience at towers across southern states. Airport authorities plan to install insulation around exposed sprinkler mains before next winter season, but advised airlines that additional de-icing equipment may be required if polar outbreaks become more common.
