Holiday weekend passengers experiencing delays at PBIA due to staffing shortages

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Just a few days after airlines changed their customer service agreements to make it clearer when customers can get vouchers for food and lodging if their flight is canceled or delayed, there were more delays over the holiday weekend.

As of Saturday afternoon, there were 15 delays at Palm Beach International Airport, while there were 70 delays at Fort Lauderdale International Airport.

According to passengers, their flights were delayed because there wasn’t enough personnel at the airport.

“They didn’t have a copilot, first officer,” said Katherine Orlebeke, who traveled from Stuart to catch a flight.

She said that her flight was delayed for a number of hours, which resulted in her missing her connecting connection.

“Almost everybody missed their connection,” Orlebeke said.

Peter Ricci, who runs the hospitality and tourism management school at Florida Atlantic University, says that the delays that have been happening because of a lack of staff are likely to keep happening until Thanksgiving.

In a statement, Ricci said, “There is almost zero likelihood that airlines can get staff hired, trained, and in the air on time.”