JetBlue Is Offering $99 Flights So People Can Escape Hurricane Irma

JetBlue is offering $99 direct flights  from every Florida  city where it operates, the airline said on Wednesday, as people hurry to leave before powerful Hurricane Irma hits the state .

A price cap through Sept. 10 is also in place for all of JetBlue’s Florida connecting flights , a maximum fare of $159 up to the last available seat, the company said.

“We want those trying to leave ahead of the hurricane to focus on their safe evacuation rather than worry about the cost of flights,” JetBlue spokesman Doug McGraw said.

Flights in the eastern Caribbean  through Sept. 7 and in the western Caribbean through Sept. 8 are also under a fare ceiling.

Florida remained under a state of emergency  as Irma, packing winds of up to 185 miles per hour, tracked across the northern Caribbean. It’s expected to hit the continental United States  over the weekend.

Airlines  have been criticized for raising prices  in the wake of deadly episodes such as a 2015 Amtrak derailment , but U.S. officials said last year they found no evidence of wrongdoing in that instance.

Irma’s arrival marks the second time in as many weeks that U.S. airline operations will be disrupted by a powerful storm.

Last week, Category 4 Hurricane Harvey  landed in Texas  and swallowed up  much of Houston  with powerful winds and deadly flooding. Airline operations were crippled  for several days as airports closed , forcing thousands of flight cancellations .