Delayed Travelers Finally Take Off A Day After Plane Fire
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FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) -- About 24 hours after a plane bound for South America caught fire and ruined travel plans for more than a hundred passengers, special flights have been chartered to finally take them home.
Siblings David and Daniella Magro arrived at the airport Friday morning prepared to board a Dynamic Airways flight back to Caracas, Venezuela.
The plane's engine they were on Thursday caught fire and temporarily shut down Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International airport, delaying or cancelling more than 200 other flights.
"It's like 1 in 20 million. Like we already had ours and thank God it was how it was and we're here to tell the story and it's not a tragedy," said Daniella.
As passengers left the Weston hotel they were put in overnight and headed back to the airport, they shared the perspective they gained from living through such a frightening experience.
"So lucky. I think we all have an angel that protects us. If that happened in the air, we're dead," said Camilia Diaz.
Some passengers aren't too fond of getting on another Dynamic Airways flight.
"Yesterday it was pretty scary and you're getting on the same thing again," said Andres Gallegos.
Passengers also spoke of their frustration and dissatisfaction with how Dynamic Airways handled the crisis, saying it was a struggle to get information from the airline, from getting on another flight to getting their luggage back.
At 4:30, the first flight back to Venezuela took off. Others are scheduled to leave Saturday and Sunday.
