Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Expects 630,000 Travelers Over Memorial Day Weekend
BY: STAFF REPORT | BocaNewsNow.com
BROWARD COUNTY, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2021 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — If you are flying out of Fort Lauderdale, Miami or Palm Beach International Airports over Memorial Day Weekend, remember: you must wear a mask. Federal and local enforcement will be on scene and airlines continue to have “zero tolerance” for violators of the federal mask mandate. Masks must be worn over your nose and mouth while in the airport and for the entire flight. Fines are exceeding $60,000.
BocaNewsNow.com reported on an American Airlines passenger flying to Fort Lauderdale last week who was met by uniformed law enforcement after the flight crew said he refused to wear his mask for part of the flight. If you haven’t traveled lately, here’s the rule: you may lower or raise your mask while taking a bite or sip of food or drink on a plane, but you may not remove the mask. Violators may be fined, banned from travel, or in extreme circumstance, arrested.
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Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport just issued this advisory for all travelers:
[Official advisory starts here:] Travel activity will be in full swing for the 2021 Memorial Day holiday weekend as more Americans – many of them vaccinated – seek long-awaited escapes after hunkering down at home for more than a year in the pandemic.
As the weather heats up and COVID-19 restrictions loosen, many will heed the call of South Florida’s sun-washed beaches and great outdoors during the popular holiday weekend and the unofficial start to the summer travel season.
As such, at Broward County’s Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), officials expect more than 630,000 travelers to fly in and out between Wednesday, May 26 and Tuesday, June 1, 2021. This number mirrors pre-pandemic levels for past Memorial holiday weekends. Officials anticipate FLL’s busiest travel days to be Friday, May 28, and Monday, May 31, with more than 97,000 travelers each day. In all, an average of 90,000 daily passengers is forecasted during the seven-day holiday travel period.
If flying for this holiday period, please be reminded that federal law still requires everyone to wear a face mask inside the airport’s terminals, Rental Car Center (RCC), and onboard flights regardless of vaccinated status. Kindly remain vigilant in practicing safety measures that can slow the spread of COVID-19 including, properly wearing face coverings over the nose and mouth, washing/sanitizing hands frequently, and social distancing whenever possible.
FLL remains committed to providing airport guests and employees with a clean, safe and healthy environment, so consider these travel tips and reminders to help you FLLy Safer, FLLy Smarter, FLLy Better:
COVID-19 TESTING SITE
Operated by Nomi Health, the COVID-19 testing service at FLL is located pre-security in Terminal 3 near baggage claim in a secluded area accessible curbside from Door 311. Regular opening times are 7AM-9PM daily. However, the testing site will be closed on Memorial Day. Since opening in early December 2020, Nomi has administered more than 29,000 tests to ticketed FLL travelers. To make an appointment or get more details on test types and costs, visit fll.net/.
PARKING
FLL offers travelers a variety of parking options in its garages: Long Term Parking is $15 a day, and Short Term Parking, intended for dropping off or picking up passengers, is available for $3 an hour with a maximum daily rate of $36. Download the free FLL Airport App for information on parking, flights, restaurants, and shops before arriving at the airport. If you plan to park at FLL, allocate extra time to get here and secure a spot among the parking garage’s 8,000-plus spaces, which is expected to fill up for the holiday weekend. Tap into the garages’ smart parkingtechnology to find the closest open spot. Then, in the garage driving lanes, look at the monitors mounted to the ceiling for the number of open spaces in each aisle.
Travelers can use SunPass Plus as a convenient way to pay for parking using a SunPass transponder in the airport’s three parking garages. The traveler must use a SunPass Plus lane to enter and exit for the account to be charged. SunPass Plus entry does not require a ticket. FLL offers travelers a variety of parking options in its garages: Long Term Parking is $15 a day, and Short Term Parking, intended for dropping off or picking up passengers, is available for $3 an hour with a maximum daily rate of $36.
Note: Curbside Valet Parking service remains suspended during the pandemic.
In anticipation of the airport’s parking garages filling for the Memorial Day holiday weekend, FLL’s Overflow Parking Lot will accept entries beginning Thursday, May 27, at 12PM through noon on Saturday, May 29. The lot is located west of the airport at 2755 SW 42nd Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315. Take Griffin Road just west of I-95 to Anglers Avenue, turn right (north). Then turn left (west) on Southwest 42nd Street and follow the orange wayfinding signs. A flat rate of $10 per day applies, as does a maximum stay of seven days. Payment must be via credit card. Parkers should allow additional lead time when using the Overflow Lot. The free shuttle service to and from the Overflow Lot will have designated stops along the Upper Level airport roadway between Terminals 1 and 2, as well as Terminals 3 and 4. View the attached parking map found under “Release Properties” at the bottom of the page.
PICKUP/DROP OFF
The Cell Phone Waiting Area is located under the main entrance roadway to the airport. As you approach FLL’s entrance, stay in the left lanes, follow the sign to All Parking, and bear left. Then follow the signs to the Cell Phone Waiting Area. This road will bring you around the RCC to the Cell Phone Waiting Area. If the free Cell Phone Waiting Area is full, please proceed to our Short Term Parking in the garages, which is available for $3 per hour with a grace period under 20 minutes at no charge. Please remember that the curbside areas are for immediate pickup and drop-off only. Unattended vehicles will be ticketed and towed.
REMINDERS
FLL participates in several expedited security and Customs processing programs,including TSA Pre-Check, Global Entry, Mobile Passport, and CLEAR, available in select locations and security checkpoints. Please visit their respective websites to learn more about the programs, how they work, and any associated costs.
If you are a traveler with a disability or have a medical condition, you can plan ahead with TSA Cares or call their toll-free helpline at 1-855-787-2227 to enhance your airport experience.
