Closures due to flooding creates confusion at DTW's McNamara Terminal
ROMULUS, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) – The overnight storm dumped so much rain in a short amount of time that the drains inside the tunnels leading to DTW's McNamara Terminal couldn't keep up.
The airport had to shut down access to the terminal early Thursday morning, causing more than 200 flight delays and over 100 flight cancellations.
Benita Delacruz didn't think she'd have to be drying out after landing this morning at McNamara Terminal.
"They should have made it better known that it was flooded, and they should have had us riding buses on the tarmac back down this way, logistics-wise. I mean, that would have been smarter, instead of all of us sitting there waiting. There's people still sitting there waiting, not knowing what's going on," Delacruz said.
She and several others waded through the floodwaters on Dingell Drive.
"We walked single file all the way through. We didn't walk down the middle. We walked along the sidewalk, which was less deep. But, going down that way, as you can see, this is where the water line got to," Delacruz said.
The airport got hammered with a little over three inches of rain over five hours.
"We were on vacation in Canada, and we drove back, starting out at four o'clock this morning to arrive at about quarter to nine because of the traffic and only to find out that Delta is flooded, and they can't get us flights out," Susan Draves said.
Some travelers wish they would have known about the closures sooner.
"Nobody at the terminal really knows what's going on either. Nobody's giving you any information," said Joe Rizzo, who is flying to New York City with his wife.
"The closest alert was a sign that's not even that far from here that just said McNamara access is closed due to flooding. And you know, the emergency staff. They don't know anything," Emily Rothgery, who is flying to Seoul, said.
Conditions were so bad Thursday morning that the Federal Aviation Administration stopped all incoming flights for several hours.
"It would have been nice to have some information or to at least know that, okay, your flight is going to be delayed for hours or something, but we just can't get any information," Rothgery said.
According to a Delta spokesperson, customers are automatically rebooked when a cancelation occurs. They added in a statement:
"Due to localized flooding impacting roadway access for our people and customers to and from Detroit Metro Airport, Delta is processing cancelations this morning due to operational need and to ensure everyone's safety. We expect further cancelations and delays as the morning continues. We know this is an inconvenience to our customers and we apologize for the disruption to their travel plans."