MIAMI – Travelers faced long lines and frustration at Miami International Airport over the weekend after the MIA Mover was taken out of service late last week for maintenance.
The Mover, which connects the airport to the rental car center, Tri-Rail, Metro Mover, and Greyhound, is a key transportation link for many travelers.
3:30 p.m. report:
“It was a whole fiasco when I first got here, so I knew when I came back here I had to get here early,” said MIA traveler Cassidy Dodge.
Travelers were left scrambling for alternative options, as buses were used to shuttle passengers instead.
“I was planning on getting straight on – figured it’s the Miami airport, they wouldn’t be down,” traveler Christopher Phillips.
Airport officials confirmed that maintenance work is performed periodically to ensure the safety and efficiency of the system but have yet to announce when the Mover will be back up and running.
“It was a long walk to this spot, so hahaha,” another traveler joked.
Passengers followed signs directing them to alternative transportation. A Local 10 News crew rode the elevator with them and boarded a shuttle bus on Monday.
Despite the inconvenience over the weekend, some travelers said the bus service was smoother than expected on Monday.
“It seems like this airport constantly has problems,” traveler Morgan Sams said “We be seeing it on the news. One time they had a leak or something.”
“We got on the elevator with them and onto the bus. A much smoother operation than reported over the weekend,” another MIA passenger added.
The MIA Mover, which opened in 2011, undergoes periodic closures for maintenance. Officials say it typically carries more than 15,000 passengers per day.