Flights in and out of Houston were suspended over the weekend. As of Monday, September 15, some flights have resumed. However, flight schedules will most likely be anything but normal for the next few weeks. Travelers are encouraged to check on flights into and out of both Houston Hobby and Bush Intercontinental airports.
Another major problem for the entire area is electricity. Officially, the power outage following Hurricane Ike is the largest in Texas history, with more than 2 million people losing power after the storm. As of Tuesday, September 16, around 1.5 million people are still without power. There has been an unbelievable amount of manpower – in excess of 7,000 utility trucks are on the scene – dedicated to restoring power. However, the problem won’t be completely rectified for at least another week or two.
One other area of concern within Houston is the amount of business centers damaged by the storm. Houston has a great deal of business travel throughout the year. Ike either destroyed or significantly damaged a sizeable portion of the Houston’s business district. Although the JP Morgan Chase tower has received the most attention after getting nearly 40 floors of windows blown out, several other large buildings suffered enough damage to cause temporary interruption of services. If you have business in Houston, you should check with your contacts there to determine their status before heading out.
Galveston, of course, is an entirely different story. The mayor of Galveston has asked any remaining citizens to leave the island, saying it is not fit for habitation at this time. Several Galveston Island landmarks – including the famous Balinese Room – were destroyed in the storm. And, since the island remains without power or water and a number of roadways were destroyed, it is difficult to estimate when Galveston will be ready to welcome visitors again.
At this point, if you have vacation plans that include Galveston between now and the end of the year, it is safe to assume the trip won’t make. It will also be quite some time before it is possible to tell which Galveston businesses, hotels and restaurants will reopen or rebuild. Assuredly, the island will resume its place as a top tourist destination at some point in the future, but at this time it is impossible to say when that will be.
