‘Airport 24/7 Miami’ Takes Off On Second Season

by Chris Owen on

When “Airport 24/7 Miami” took off last October, the Travel Channel show delivered to viewers an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at one of the busiest airports in the world. We watched as an army of Miami International Airport (MIA) staff moved 100,000 travelers a day through the facility like clockwork.

Handling everything from lost luggage to drug smuggling and terrorist threats, viewers saw a real, unfiltered look at the people who work every day to keep planes and people moving. Coming up later this month, “Airport 24/7 Miami” returns for a second season with all new episodes.

Starting April 30, fans will reserve Tuesday nights at 9 p.m. ET/PT for 19 weeks of all new episodes. Each week, viewers will have an all-access pass inside the intense and dramatic world of MIA. This season, “Airport 24/7 Miami” promises even more unprecedented behind-the-scenes footage.In the season opener, MIA staff works together when two passenger planes collide as we see in this sneak peek video:




Can’t wait until April 30? Need an “Airport 24/7 Miami” fix right now? The Travel Channel has a photo gallery, video library and an “About the Staff” intro to some of the key people who run the airport every day.

Want to know what happens while moving 38 million people every year through MIA, an spot considered a prime terrorist target and Category X airport? “Airport 24/7 Miami” has the stories, people and events we don’t see on the news or read about online … well, except for here, that is.

[Photo credit – The Travel Channel]

Woman makes bomb threat to delay boss’ plane

by Katie Hammel on

At some point, most travelers will either come close to missing a flight, or actually miss it and have to wait for the next one. It’s not a fun situation to be in – praying that you make it, or that your flight is delayed just a few minutes so that you can get on it, and then sitting in the airport for hours if you do miss the plane – but it’s certainly not one that justifies faking a bomb threat.

Yet that’s exactly what one woman is accused of doing in order to help out her boss, who was running late to catch his flight from Miami to Honduras.

Officials at the Miami Airport received a call and an email on Wednesday saying there was a bomb on the American Airlines plane. They searched the plane, but found no bomb, and then traced the email to 31-year old Claudia De La Rosa’s computer. She was arrested and is now being held on $7,500 bail.

During questions, the woman said that she had made her boss run late and, worried that he would miss his plane, she decided to call in the bomb threat. She figured the bomb search would delay the plane long enough for her boss to arrive and get on the flight.

A little lesson for the over-achieving assistants out there: no job is worth getting arrested for and calling in a bomb threat is never a good idea. Just let your boss miss his plane.

[via USA Today]

Are slot machines at Miami airport a winning idea?

by Mike Barish on

As someone who routinely gets to the airport incredibly early, I can attest that they are boring, uncomfortable places. It’s rare to find free wi-fi, sufficient power sources or quality food. Basically, you sit there, read a book and tolerate the chaos. But, if you’re traveling out of Miami International Airport, you may soon have a new activity while you’re waiting for your flight: slot machines.

USA Today is reporting that the Miami-Dade County commissioners voted 8-3 yesterday to allow slot machines at the airport. The devices would be located beyond security checkpoints and would potentially allow the county to recoup some of the money that the airport is hemorrhaging. At present, the operating cost of the airport is $600 million and could more than double in the next six years. The slots could provide a much-needed revenue stream.

Sure, more money will come into the airport and some gambling addicts will be able to pass the time while waiting for their flights (and you’ll often be waiting for your delayed flight at Miami International), but do you really want to hear that racket? Between the PA announcements, screaming children and people yelling into their phones, the last thing any airport needs is more noise. But money talks and Miami-Dade County needs the help.

So, do slot machines belong in airports? Would you pass the time waiting for a flight by pulling the handle and letting it ride? Or would you rather listen to your iPod, read a book and try to tune out all that chaos? Let us know in the comments.

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Photo from flickr user Jeff Kubina.