Passengers at Miami International Airport and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport were still dealing with the fallout Saturday, a day after the Federal Aviation Administration lifted a nationwide ground stop. Flights are departing again, but the backlog has pushed many trips into the weekend and beyond.
Miami International recorded more than 240 cancellations Saturday, and about 360 flights were delayed, according to the figures cited in the report. At Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, the latest numbers showed 218 cancellations and 226 delays.
Travelers described long waits and rebooked itineraries. One passenger at Miami International said her luggage was on a different flight and that she could not get out until Tuesday, so she booked with another airline for a chance to fly home Saturday. A family traveling back from a cruise said their luggage had been routed to Dallas and they had to book a hotel because no flights to Canada were available. At Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, one group said its morning flight had been pushed to 9 p.m., and another said the earliest available seat was the next day.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Friday that normal operations would take time to return. The ground stop was the longest nationwide halt since the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001, and the first of its kind in the United States, according to the report.
Airlines and the FAA have not said how quickly schedules will normalize. Travelers are urged to check flight status with their airline before heading to the airport, since delays and cancellations could continue into Sunday.
The report did not say how many passengers were affected overall.
Source credit: WSVN 7News
