Long lines, big crowds, canceled flights lead to MIA mayhem

Dianne and Thomas Hammond ended up scheduled to fly from LaGuardia Airport in New York to Miami and then to St. Kitts in the Caribbean on Friday early morning.

But, the flight was delayed an hour in New York. They had been explained to it was due to the fact the crew didn’t display up.

By the time they landed in Miami, they missed their connecting flight to St. Kitts, the only a single of the day. That was just the commencing of their vacation nightmare.

Extended rebooking line leads to tempers flaring

The Hammonds were informed to stand in the “rebooking” line at Miami Intercontinental Airport, which they estimate to have been up to 500 men and women deep when they joined the queue.

And, there were being just two American Airlines staffers to company all the individuals. Among the crowds and the wait time, tolerance wore slender promptly, Hammond explained.

“People were reducing in line and screaming at just about every other. It’s bedlam,” Dianne Hammond said.

Similar: MIA has the longest wait around occasions of significant U.S. airports

Right after six hrs waiting around in line, there ended up still about 20 persons ahead of the couple when they spoke with the Herald around 7 p.m. Friday.

“While we’ve been in this article, the line much more than doubled all the way down the airport,” she mentioned.

They hoped to be ready to reserve the up coming flight to St. Kitts, which leaves Saturday morning, so they could still salvage their family vacation.

“The flight leaves at 11:40 a.m. We hope to be on it, God inclined,” she said.

The Hammonds weren’t by itself.

Throngs of stranded passengers at MIA

Hundreds of passengers ended up stranded at MIA because stormy weather across Florida on Thursday and Friday led to multiple canceled flights and delays, disruptions overlapping with the airport hitting file traffic stages as travel surges immediately after an prolonged pandemic slump, explained Greg Chin, spokesman for the airport.

Chin stated Friday observed 17 canceled flights in or out of MIA, which generally sees about 1,000 flights for every working day, The airport Friday early morning sent out a concept to tourists declaring Central Florida storms had been triggering delays with flights.

Chin reported protection lines had been moving effortlessly for travellers able to board their flights, and the airport’s web-site shown wait times at in between 10 and 30 minutes.

Laura Misvidal, an American Airways spokeswoman, also blamed the delays on temperature and air targeted traffic regulate delays “due to climate.”

This tale was initially printed April 1, 2022 9:25 PM.