MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FLA. (WSVN) - Airport officials and South Florida leaders are asking travelers to pack their patience as they prepare to head out to visit loved ones this week.
7News captured long lines at Miami International Airport, Sunday evening.
Travelers vented their frustrations regarding a process they described as anything but smooth.
“I don’t know what’s going on. It’s just a mess out here,” said traveler Vincent Haynes, who is heading to Charlotte.
Some were surprised at the size of the lines, even though Thanksgiving is still four days away.
“There’s huge lines for [the Transportation Security Administration area], for security,” said traveler Nicolas Gonzalez, who is flying to Washington, D.C.
AAA has predicted that over the next few days, 4.2 million people will fly through U.S. airports, an 80% increase from this time in 2020.
The long waits feel all too familiar to travelers at MIA.
“It’s been quite a bit. Obviously, you can tell it’s a lot of people here,” said traveler Sophia Leonard, who is heading to Kansas.
“For every single airline, there’s like four or five different lines just for checking, dropping bags,” said Gonzalez. “It’s kind of crazy.
Similar thoughts were also voiced at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, where delays had travelers waiting for hours.
“I just want to get back home, holiday time. I got a job,” said Haynes.
Miami-Dade leaders recently shared a list of do’s and don’ts while at the airport. They advise travelers to arrive at their airport at least two hours early for domestic flights and three hours early for international flights.
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said masks will be strictly enforced.
“Please, everyone, use constraint this holiday season. Don’t dampen the holiday cheer,” she said.
Wearing face coverings is something that, passengers said, is a must, especially now.
“You don’t know who’s been vaccinated or who hasn’t, so you don’t know if you’re going to catch a bug or something,” said Gonzalez, “and even if there’s biosecurity measures in place, it’s still kind of frustrating and scary because there’s a bunch of people, and you don’t really want to catch anything.”
Experts said those long lines and waits are only going to increase over the next several days.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.