Following an episode of airport mayhem and a number of individuals arrested, a calmer Tuesday has started at the airport in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Many canceled flights from Spirit Airlines resulted in extensive lines, boiling emotions, and troublesome travelers.
Footage from several smartphones witnessed an airport in complete disarray near Spirit airlines’ terminal and was quickly submitted online. Angry and hostile flyers yelled at airline staff as law enforcement attempted to reestablish control of the situation.
Paul Smith, traveler and witness to the chaos referred to it this way:
“All of a sudden, one particular flight got canceled, and a mob ensued up here at the front counter, in front of everyone else who had been waiting in line.”
Another woman said:
“They said that the pilots are on strike.”
Turmoil and disputes inside Spirit airlines with the pilots association allegedly ended up causing the flight cancellations that in turn caused this downright disorderly scene in the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. Spirit airlines has brought a legal battle against the pilots association for what they refer to as “unlawful labor activity by some Spirit pilots.”
Spirit has issued an announcement for the record that states:
“These pilots have out their quest for a new contract ahead of getting customers to their destinations and the safety of their fellow Spirit team members. It is for this reason, Spirit has filed suit in federal court to protect our customers’ future travel.”
A traveler who witnessed what happened at the ticket counters reported:
“At that point, the ticket agents couldn’t handle what was going on, so they called in for the police.”
The flight cancellations put several hundred travelers in a tough spot, scrambling to get to their respective destinations.
Victoria Fiondella, whose flight had been canceled recalls:
“We figured out we were delayed, like, while we were still at our hotel for a couple hours…Then, we came here and it was even more delayed, then it got cancelled.”
7 News Miami caught footage of the incredibly long lines and the cop cars that were at the end of them at the entrance to the airport.
Soon after, footage from phones observed a woman and two men in handcuffs getting hauled away by police.
A passenger recalled what he saw from the scene:
“I saw two people go down on the floor and get … handcuffed and dragged out…”
And yet traveler another recalled the disappointment, frustration, and anger:
“There was a lady earlier…. She was quite upset and very vocal about her frustrations…I see people are very disappointed.”
In total 3 individuals were arrested for disorderly conduct.
You can see the footage of the event from this video:
[mashvideo]
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