Flights between the UK and Florida have been cancelled as the US braces for Hurricane Milton.

Milton is expected to make landfall on the west coast of Florida on Wednesday night or Thursday morning, with tropical force winds affecting the west coast from Wednesday morning.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said there was an increasing risk of a life-threatening storm surge on the west coast, and heavy rainfall and high winds are expected to impact large parts of Florida.

Orlando International Airport said it would cease commercial passenger operations at 8am on Wednesday.

The airport added that commercial flights would “resume as soon as possible based on damage assessment”.

Tui said it expected its flying programme “to be extremely disrupted”, with Melbourne Orlando International Airport closing to commercial flights at 2pm on Wednesday and reopening at 9am on Friday.

The travel company said it had cancelled a flight to Melbourne Orlando from Gatwick on Wednesday and was “contacting customers directly to discuss their options”.

Virgin Atlantic said it had also cancelled numerous flights because of “adverse weather conditions expected to be caused by Hurricane Milton”, with a state of emergency declared in Florida.

The airline cancelled two flights on Tuesday between Heathrow and Tampa, and nine on Wednesday, including ones between Manchester and Orlando.

A further 10 flights have been called off on Thursday, involving Heathrow, Manchester, Orlando and Tampa.

Two flights from Edinburgh to Orlando have been delayed by 23 hours, one on Wednesday and one on Thursday.

Hurricane Milton Weather
Hurricane Milton in the Gulf of Mexico (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/AP)

Virgin Atlantic said: “The safety and comfort of our customers and crew is our top priority and we are contacting any Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Atlantic Holiday customers who may be impacted by the hurricane to discuss their options.”

The FCDO said travellers should monitor approaching storms on the US National Hurricane Centre website and follow instructions from local authorities, including evacuation orders.

It added that travellers should check with their airline or travel agent about possible disruption to flights or airport services.

An FCDO spokesperson said: “We are closely monitoring the development of Hurricane Milton towards the United States.

“We urge all British nationals in Florida or travelling to the region to follow travel advice and guidance from local authorities.”