WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Following Wednesday's historic flooding in Broward County, travelers who could not depart from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport made their way north to Palm Beach County.
Officials at Palm Beach International Airport said airlines are bringing in more flights and bigger planes to be able to accommodate more passengers.
WPTV spoke with countless people Thursday whose flights were canceled either Wednesday night or Thursday morning in Fort Lauderdale.
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PBI is open for business. The airport was not impacted by the storms that occurred yesterday. pic.twitter.com/gFIc5fPkCU
— Palm Beach International Airport (@flyPBI) April 13, 2023
They made the trip to PBIA in hopes of being able to get home Thursday.
For many of the passengers who were scheduled to fly out Thursday morning, their cancelation notification came in around the same time that they received a rebooking notification, which told them they were now flying out of PBIA.
One family of five said they were at the Fort Lauderdale airport Wednesday night when the weather started to worsen. After several hours of delays, they got a ride and left the airport just as the parking garage was beginning to flood.
"It's been quite an event. We went to the airport in Fort Lauderdale. It was a madhouse yesterday," one traveler said. "We were stuck there literally in the Uber leaving for about 3.5 hours."
There have been close to no canceled flights at PBIA on Thursday.
The biggest cost accumulating for passengers is transportation. One family said they spent $245 on a taxi to take them from Fort Lauderdale to PBIA.
All of the travelers that WPTV spoke with said were staying in and around the Fort Lauderdale area and have not been offered any reimbursements.