The Saint Lucia Tourist Board has been advised by American Airlines that due to the expected impact of Hurricane Irma, its Miami hub will be temporarily closed from Thursday, Sep. 7 until Sunday, Sep. 10.

All American Airlines flights into and out of Saint Lucia via Miami are therefore suspended. American Airlines expects to resume normal operations on Monday, Sep. 11.

The American National Hurricane Center has described Hurricane Irma as a "potentially catastrophic category 5 hurricane", and American Airlines is taking pre-emptive actions as a safety precaution.

Hoteliers and travelers are asked to take special note as the closure will affect departures during this time. Travellers can check the status of their American Airlines flights through the  www.aa.com website.