Thousands of travelers are stranded at South Florida airports as a combination of factors, including severe weather, spring break crowds and government shutdown staff shortages, have halted travel plans.
It is reported that the delay could extend until Thursday March 19 or longer.
At Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, a chaotic scene is seen with hundreds of frustrated travelers.
The chaos is mainly due to deadly tornadoes that hit the South and blizzards in the Midwest. Given the severe weather conditions, nearly 4,800 flights were canceled nationwide on Monday 16 March alone.
However, the weather is not the only factor. A partial government shutdown has TSA agents (who work without pay) calling in sick in droves, with some airports seeing absenteeism rates jump from 2% to over 21%.
Acting Deputy TSA Administrator Adam Stahl warned that if the situation continues, “it is not an exaggeration to suggest that we may literally have to close airports.”
As of Tuesday evening, FLL had 103 cancellations and 384 delays, while Miami International Airport had 49 cancellations and 429 delays.
For people like Alajah Buchanan, stuck at the airport since March 16, the delay seems interminable.
Travelers are advised to contact their airlines before heading to the airport as the situation is expected to cause major delays.
