Flights resumed at Melbourne Orlando International Airport on Tuesday, November 3, after extreme flooding in Brevard County disrupted operations Monday. The return of flights came with continuing restrictions inside the terminal, where problems affecting Melbourne's water system left passengers without access to restrooms or normal restaurant service.
Airport officials said in a news release that city crews were working to find and repair multiple water main breaks following the flooding. The water disruption extended beyond the airport, affecting all residential and commercial customers served by Melbourne's system. Terminal services remained limited as that repair work continued.
All restrooms in the terminal were closed because the airport lacked adequate water pressure, officials said. Passengers were encouraged to use a restroom before heading to the airport. While those facilities remained unavailable, hand sanitizer would be provided throughout the terminal. The closure applied to every terminal restroom.
The water problems also restricted food service. All airport restaurants and food concessions were temporarily closed because they could not prepare food. For passengers seeking something to eat or drink, officials said a limited selection of prepackaged snacks and bottled beverages would be available to purchase.
Airport officials did not provide a time for the affected services to return. Although flights had resumed Tuesday, it remained unclear when travelers would again be able to use terminal restrooms or buy food from the airport's restaurants and concessions. Those service restrictions accompanied the resumption of flight operations.
The airport disruption followed heavy rainfall that triggered flash flooding in parts of Brevard County, including Melbourne. The city received between 21 and 23 inches of rain. Floodwaters led to the closure of several roads, and officials urged residents to avoid travel that was not necessary.
The flooding left both transportation and water services disrupted. Airport operations were interrupted Monday, while water main breaks required city crews to locate damage and carry out repairs. The airport was among the commercial customers affected by the wider interruption to Melbourne's water system.
For travelers preparing to depart after flights restarted, the airport's notice outlined the remaining limitations: no working terminal restrooms, closed restaurants and concessions, and only limited packaged refreshments for sale. The information about airport operations and terminal services came from Melbourne Orlando International Airport.
