FORT LAUDERDALE-HOLLYWOOD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FLA. (WSVN) - Passengers on an international flight diverted to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport were forced to wait inside the plane more than four hours after it landed.
The Eurowings plane, operated by Brussels Airlines at FLL, departed from Düsseldorf, Germany and was supposed to land at Miami International Airport at 4 p.m., Tuesday.
However, bad weather diverted the flight to FLL, where the passengers were finally allowed to exit the plane just before 11 p.m., Tuesday.
According to passenger Michael Strauss, some people were allowed to get off at FLL while others were sent to MIA.
“Once we stopped circling, we were told we were heading to Fort Lauderdale because the Miami airport was closed,” said Strauss. “We got to Fort Lauderdale, but since that’s not where the airline has any facilities, I guess, they don’t normally fly there. We were just kind of stuck there for a while.”
Cellphone video taken by one of the passengers showed frustrated individuals waiting to exit the plane.
“For me, it’s not too bad. I’m staying in Miami. For the people who had connecting flights, I think they were the ones who were getting a little bit upset,” said Strauss.
Mayade Ersoff, a passenger on the plane, spoke to 7News about her miserable experience on the plane.
“Initially, the old crew told us that, legally, they cannot fly anymore. They cannot take us back to Miami, so they would just wait to see if we could get out at this airport, but they told us the customs were being a huge problem with this airport, Fort Lauderdale,” said Ersoff. “Then the new flight crew arrived, and they started refueling the plane, but now, the new flight crew announced that their security check wasn’t done accurately and that they had to leave. I’ve just had enough, and I want them to open that door and let us out.”
Ersoff said they were informed water service had stopped on the plane, which usually means the restrooms were no longer working.
“Lo and behold we land, and that was it,” said Ersoff. “Nothing for four hours.”
Meanwhile, someone inside the plane called the Broward Sheriff’s Office who sent a deputy out to the airport.
According to the passengers, the deputy told them they would exit the plane, get on a bus and be taken to a terminal at the airport.
“People were angry. I felt especially concerned for the children on board,” said Ersoff. “There was a mom who was nursing a baby.”
Federal rules state that passengers of an international flight cannot be held inside a plane on the tarmac for more than four hours unless it’s a security, safety or air traffic control issue.
“We were told because of bad weather and the closure of Miami International Airport that we would be re-rerouted and we would be landing in Fort Lauderdale,” said Ersoff.
A Eurowings spokesperson released a statement to 7News regarding the matter: “Unfortunately, the arrival of passengers at Fort Lauderdale Airport was delayed due to the limited handling capacities, as several flights have headed to Fort Lauderdale as an alternative airport at short notice.”
FLL said the extended delays was because of Swissport, the company in charge of ground operations for Eurowings flights once they land.
“Airport operations offered immediate assistance to Swissport upon arrival of the diverted flight Tuesday evening, which was declined,” a spokesperson for the Broward County Aviation Department said. “That decision and others by Swissport resulted in the hours-long wait to deplane passengers for customs processing at FLL, which was staffed and ready to handle these guests.”
Eurowings said they’re in communication with Swissport and FLL to understand what went wrong.
The U.S. Department of Transportation is now investigating the incident.
“There was no plan, and I just don’t understand how a large airline like Eurowings and how an airport, which is an international airport in Fort Lauderdale — how there can be no communication and no plan whatsoever for over 400 passengers,” said Ersoff.
Airport officials said only three flights were diverted to FLL on Tuesday due to the weather conditions.
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