More Flights Canceled, Delayed Due To NE Blizzard
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FT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) - Getting from here to anywhere along the upper northeast coast was a bit of challenge on Tuesday.
A major snow storm blanketed cities from Long Island, New York through Maine overnight. Airports were forced to close, flights canceled.
Those cancellations reverberated through the country.
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport experienced major impacts to our flight operations due to the storm in the northeast, said Broward County Aviation spokesman Gregory Myers in an email.
Myers said as of Tuesday evening, 137 flights had been canceled, another 46 delayed.
At Miami International Airport (MIA) , 108 flights were canceled. The airlines affected by these conditions are American Airlines, American Eagles, Delta Airlines, Frontier Airlines, United Airlines and US Airways and the cities affected are New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Newark, Norfolk, Virginia, Charlotte, North Carolina, Chicago, and Hartford, Connecticut.
Click here to watch Oralia Ortega's report.
Tyler Tiggett is one of the thousands of passengers at Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport who were told they weren't going anywhere anytime soon because of the winter storms wreacking havoc up North.
"Everything cancelled, cancelled, cancelled, cancelled, cancelled, everything's done," said Tiggett. "Monday we were supposed to fly back but everything was cancelled. The only available flight that wasn't cancelled was on Thursday."
Ann Marie Pierre is spending the night at Miami International Airport hoping to fly out to Philadelphia on Wednesday morning. It's not the way the Trinidad and Tobago tourist wanted to start her two-week vacation.
"I was so mad. I kept checking the counter to see if there would be any opening at all. If the storm would lift and if they would open the airport in Philadelphia but they keep saying, 'no, no, no, nothing,'" said Pierre.
CLICK HERE to watch Cynthia Demos' report
Stephanie Moyer and her husband Shannon are in South Florida for a work conference. They were supposed to be home in Philadelphia but instead are 'stuck' for two more nights. They extended their stay at the Loew's Hotel.
Hotels are getting an extra boost in business because of the blizzard.
CBS4's Cynthia Demos spoke with the General Manager of the Betsy Hotel, Jeff Lehman, which is sold out.
"Quite a few people wanted to extend," said Lehman.
At Balan's restaurant, they welcomed the extra business.
"Thank God they are here eating," said Nestor Bravo of Balan's restaurant.
Workers at shops also welcomed the extra business.
Priscilla Ricart with Osklen clothes said Tuesdays are normally very slow.
"Now, I hope it's better with the blizzard. I think more people will come around," said Ricart.
On Monday, more than 5,000 flights in and out of East Coast airports were canceled. At Miami International Airport 42 flights were canceled and 36 were delayed. At Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, the same day, a total of 70 flights were canceled, 73 delayed.
Airport officials encourage those traveling to or from the northeast to monitor their flight status.
To track your flights follow the links for Miami International Airport or Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airpot.