Blurp About Ft Lauderdale Airport

[Ms Belvedere]

From today's Washington Post, Coming and Going column:

 

COMINGANDGOING

Sunday, April 17, 2005; Page P01

 

 

UPRIGHT AND LOCKED

 

Fort Lauderdale Gridlock

 

Why does a sunny spring day at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport look like O'Hare on a blizzard-blasted Christmas Eve? CoGo, no stranger to airport chaos, was stunned to see wall-to-wall mayhem at Fort Lauderdale on a fine March Saturday, with people asleep on the carpet, 30-minute lines for pizza and throngs of zombies staring at monitors listing late planes. "It's like this every weekend," one regular confided. "They can't handle the crowds."

 

One flight to Washington was delayed by three hours, while CoGo's own US Airways flight to Reagan National wasn't even listed on the monitor. The gate signboard was blank and the counter was unstaffed. Three minutes before boarding time, a gate rep appeared. The public address system was broken, so she called row numbers, sotto voce, to the baffled crowd.

 

Clearly, South Florida's second city is having a bad case of airport growing pains. The arrival of the discount carriers and its booming twin status as a cruise port and Latin American hub have more than doubled Lauderdale's air passenger traffic in the last nine years, to almost 21 million in 2004. The airport posted more than 5,700 capacity-related delays last winter, up from 1,500 the year before, said FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown. With Lauderdale cruise traffic growing by a half-million passengers a year, Saturdays and Sundays are particular crush times.

 

"We are now in the study process for an additional runway," says airport spokesman Jim Reynolds. In the meantime, passengers beware: Your connection in Fort Lauderdale may be no day at the beach.

 

To ease the crowding on cruise days, the Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau is offering a list of three-hour tours -- from boat rides to bus trips -- timed to fill that gap between getting off the ship and getting on the plane. Details: 800-22-SUNNY, http://www.sunny.org.

[jordanaire]

We had the "priviledge" of using the airport at Fort Lauderdale a week ago today after returning from our "Victory" cruise. Needless to say, it was truly an experience! Just about as bad, if not worse, than the San Juan airport!

 

Think about it....at least 6 or 7 cruise ships docking in Fort Lauderdale every Sunday morning, not to mention the 4 that dock into Miami the same morning! When we arrived at the airport, there was a LONG line waiting outside of the terminal. The lines inside the terminal were just as bad.

 

We arrived 3 hours before our flight. By the time we got checked in and gone through security, we had 35 minutes left before boarding the plane.

 

Be prepared for a long ordeal. There's just no way around it, especially with thousands of passengers from 10 or more cruise ships dropping off their passengers all at one time!

 

:cool: Bill

[K.T.B.]

Flew in and out of FLL once, no delay problems for us thankfully. :) But nice to know this for future reference.

[Flamingo19040]

Oh dear - our family will be in Miami Beach for a wedding in 6 days. We are going on a cruise after, but my cousin is flying back home on Sunday (4:40 p.m.) from Fort Lauderdale. Maybe I better warn him?

[Ms Belvedere]

Oh dear - our family will be in Miami Beach for a wedding in 6 days. We are going on a cruise after, but my cousin is flying back home on Sunday (4:40 p.m.) from Fort Lauderdale. Maybe I better warn him?

You never know for sure, I've read reports about Dulles Airport being so bad and long lines for security. We've never had a problem coming through. Maybe it's the time of day or which day in particular.

[tekman26]

I live in Fort Lauderdale and have left from this airport many times and never had a problem leaving or coming back in. During the peck or off time it is the same amount of traffic have even just gone there to pick up a rental car and in and out. They have made it pretty easy access from the highways and parking is a breeze.

[Cyt4SoreEyes]

I have been thru the FLL airport during those wicked times of the mayhem of cruisers coming and going..it was crazy. I almost missed my flight because of the caous and long lines from check in counters to the e tickets to the security. For those of you planning on using this airport for way to and way back home give yourself time to go thru don't book such an early flight. Or do what I finally had to do..step up grab and employee and tell them look my flight is leaving in 20 minutes get me thru this process. thank goodness it worked. Once I got to the gate area there were alot of delays and some of those passengers were put on some flights that left later to other destinations to catch other connections to their original destinations..there were alot of folks laying aorund as stated and alot of grumpy ppl thats for sure.

 

Since we are on the topic of Airports..wanted to add I just went thru the airport in Nassau and boy that was something else. I think we went thru 6-7 security screenings..you carry all of your luggage with you..you put it thru machines on your own as well as wallets, watches, belts , hats , shoes..and this with kids was well..not an very easy situation. then you grab your luggage and go thru another door for another screening..they check you luggage then you load it yourself . Then what your carrying on goes with you thru another security screening and then another..then one more before boarding and your body is then checked...well mine was I felt like Diana Ross.

Also if you have allergies..their waiting area will surely kick them in with in 15 minutes of being in that area..it was filthy with dust, mold on walls and air systems above you. I am highly allergic to mold and I was a mess..Just some FYI

[yogimax]

One flight to Washington was delayed by three hours.

 

For those of us in NYC using LaGuardia, this would be a distinct improvement!

[sixthree]

Saturday March 19th, back from a 5day carribean cruise . . . the airport was like grand central station during the blackout. horrible. They must expand.

[yogimax]

Saturday March 19th, back from a 5day carribean cruise . . . the airport was like grand central station during the blackout. horrible. They must expand.

 

Look at the examples of MCO (Orlando) and LAS (Las Vegas). Both cities realized the importance of expanding airport facilities and both have reaped enormous financial rewards. Unfortunately, many municipalities are totally short-sighted and will not commit to capital improvements that would bring long-term benefits. Too bad!

[Cruising89143]

The airport cannot handle the crowds when the ships are in. The last time I flew out of FLL, there were only two ships in that day and they still had to get people out of the security line to make their flights. Give me Miami anyday if I'm flying in and out of south Fla.. Of course Tampa has the best airport in Florida IMHO. Orlando ranks second.