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2 killed in crash outside Orlando International Airport, police say
A double fatal crash near the Orlando International Airport caused major backups on Saturday morning and caused many people to miss their flights.
ORLANDO, Fla. - More than 100 flights out of Orlando International Airport were delayed Saturday after a deadly car crash near the airport's terminals caused a miles-long backup.
MCO confirmed more than 120 flights had been delayed as of Saturday afternoon. In the immediate hours after the roadway was cleared, dozens of passengers were seen waiting in line at airline check-in counters.
Photos and videos posted to social media showed dozens of cars at a standstill on Jeff Fuqua Blvd., near Semoran Blvd. Others showed people walking with their luggage along the freeway towards the airport in an effort not to miss their flights.
Joey Giordano told FOX 35 that he was headed to the airport with his daughter to board a flight to Nashville, Tenneseee, which he ultimately missed.
"We didn't walk in here (the airport) until pretty much our flight was taking off," he told FOX 35 in a Zoom interview. "Now we're stuck here until 2:37 p.m.," he said, referring to the flight he was rebooked on.
When stuck on the freeway, he estimated moving about 100 yards in an hour. "We were at the bottom of the on-ramp, and then an hour later, we were at the top of the on-ramp," he said.
He said some drivers were driving along the shoulder to get to the airport or driving backwards against traffic to get out of the line, calling that a "very dangerous situation."
Brian Nelsen was headed to the airport to fly out to Boston, but missed his flight.
"We were initially on Frontier at six this morning. That plane has since gone. We weren't even in the airport yet when that left," he told FOX 35.
Orlando police said the crash happened around 2:30 a.m. when the driver of a Land Rover went off the roadway, drove through airport fencing, hit a concrete wall, and flipped over.
Four people were inside the vehicle, police said. The driver and front seat passenger had minor injuries. Two passengers in the backseat were taken to the hospital, where they were pronounced dead, police said.
The cause of the crash was not released, and the investigation is ongoing.
FLIGHT DELAYS? HOW TO CHECK YOUR STATUS
Best way to check flight status is to contact the airline directly.
Orlando International Airport does have a flight tracker on its website, as well as information on which parking garages are open and full, and current wait times at security.