Broward County Aviation Department’s (BCAD) Public Information Office is committed to serving the needs of travelers and the media. BCAD owns and operates the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and North Perry Airport (HWO). The purpose of BCAD’s Media Guide is to provide the media with information and assistance from the BCAD and the tenants of FLL and HWO.
Contact Us
Public Information Office
Broward County Aviation Department
320 Terminal Drive, Suite 200 (Terminal 4)
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315
Phone: 954-359-6116 or 6201, 6129
Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
News Media AccessIn the event of an accident on the airfield, do not attempt to gain access on foot or in a vehicle to the restricted areas of the Airport. You could be in the way of arriving or departing aircraft if you are on or near the runways/taxiways. This is very serious business. You could be killed or cause the death of others.
The second consideration is that the restricted areas are off-limits to all but authorized personnel. This measure has been taken to ensure a secure airfield environment. Unauthorized access to the airfield is not permitted and will result in your arrest.
Media members are welcome in public areas at FLL, including terminal lobbies and hallways before the entrances of security screening areas. These areas also include parking lots, garages, and designated aircraft observation areas.
Photography and videotaping of the security checkpoints at the entrance to each concourse are prohibited. These security screening areas, the equipment, screening procedures, and personnel may not be photographed according to Airport security policy.
The media should contact the Public Information Office for assistance before arriving at FLL to film news stories, take still photos, or conduct interviews.
The Media must contact the PIO in advance if they want to park a live truck at the curb in the Staging Area.
Live Truck Parking
Live trucks (or news crew vehicles) can park at the designated Media Staging Area on the airport's Departures Level (upper level) roadway between Terminals 1 and 2 with certain conditions and requirements, such as displaying press/media identification and ensuring that vehicles aren't left unattended at the curb. If a crew does not follow procedures, their vehicle will be ticketed or towed, and the station will be prohibited from returning to the curb area of the airport for six months. Alternatively, news crews not traveling in a live truck vehicle should park in the nearest garage and walk over to the terminal for any live shots or interviews.
Requirements
The crew or assignment manager must call the Public Information Officer (PIO) in advance to secure a spot between Terminals 1 and 2 at the curb. The PIO will make arrangements for the crew and identify the exact location.
See below for more requirements.
Media representatives are required to display press identification and identify themselves to anyone they interview, photograph, or film.
The media should not block or restrict movement in terminals, concourse entrances, or exits, and they must not interfere with airport or airline operations when conducting interviews.
Viewing Areas
You can view aircraft arrivals and departures from three different locations:
1. The top of the
Hibiscus Garage provides a birds-eye view of the entire airfield.
2.
Ron Gardner Aircraft Observation Area is located near the southwest corner of Perimeter Road on Southwest 39th Street. It is the perfect location to watch aircraft taking off and landing from the north runway. Solar-powered speakers broadcast the radio transmissions between the tower and the aircraft and lend an element of realism to the experience.
3. The
Green Belt combines noise mitigation with environmental stewardship in a park setting. It is a 30-acre landscaped earthen berm that marks the airport's southern boundary.
All requests for interviews with BCAD representatives should be made to the Public Information Officer at 954-359-6116, who will provide the appropriate spokesperson to address the particular topic of the interview.
Any realistic study of an airport must deal with the possibility of an airport emergency.
Should an emergency occur at FLL or HWO, we plan to respond as follows: First, let's agree on mutual ground rules.
These ground rules, we hope, will be clear and reasonable. Because no two situations are the same, they are also flexible. When situations demand, the rules governed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will be applied on a case-by-case basis.
Your job is to get the facts, whether written, taped, or filmed. Our job is to help you get those facts as quickly as possible without interfering with the rescue operation or hampering the post-crash investigation.
PrioritiesIn an aircraft emergency at either airport, the First Priority Is the Safety Of Those Involved In The Accident.
Once all passengers, crew, and other possible victims on the ground have been evacuated, Firefighting Operations assume top priority.
When the immediate threat of fire is over, the top priority shifts to the Official Investigation by the proper governmental agency.
As a general rule, the senior Fire Rescue officer present will be in full command of all operations at the scene.
Depending on the circumstances, the responsibility of the crash scene will most probably be relinquished to the NTSB and later to the aircraft owner.
Types Of Emergencies
The FAA and the Broward County Aviation Department classify aircraft emergencies and responses into two categories:
Alert 2
An aircraft is potentially experiencing a significant problem (such as faulty landing gear or hydraulic failure). Broward Sheriff's Office Aircraft Rescue Firefighters (ARFF) vehicles move into position and standby on the airfield. Emergency Management Service (EMS) and mutual aid units standby as needed.
Alert 3
An aircraft has crashed on or adjacent to the Airport. The ARFF teams, mutual aid from surrounding communities, and BCAD staff will respond as the incident warrants.
Note: Most incidents are not as serious as they first appear or sound on the radio, and most end uneventfully. Many problems result from a faulty warning indicator light, not a real problem. But at both Airports, our rescue crews prepare for the worst and will always respond accordingly.
Guidelines for News Media Live Truck Staging Area and Parking
Live Truck Staging Area
There is a live truck Staging Area between Terminals 1 and 2 on the airport roadway's Departures Level (upper level) with certain conditions and requirements. If a crew does not follow our procedures, their vehicle will be ticketed and/or towed, and the station will be prohibited from returning to the curb area of the airport for six months.
Secondary Live Truck Staging Area
If an incident at the airport limits or closes access to the terminal roadway, the media should go directly to our Secondary Media Staging Area. It is located at the Greenbelt intersection of Griffin Road and Northwest 10th Street and has 62 parking spaces.
Requirements
The crew or assignment manager must call the Public Information Officer (PIO) in advance to secure a spot at the curb between Terminals 1 and 2 (closer to Terminal 2). The PIO will make arrangements for the crew and identify the exact location.
The truck operator must remain with the vehicle at all times. If Security identifies an unattended live truck, the station will lose its privilege to park in this area. All news and personal support vehicles will be required to park in the garages.
If the crew plans to extend the truck's mast, the vehicle may be angle-parked at the curb. This allows more news trucks in the area and should help them clear any obstacles above their truck. The metal structure and cables from our old canopies are still in place.
This location is on a trial basis and can be changed at any time based on the airport's operational necessities. This will take some coordination and cooperation by news crews and airport personnel. Please remember that the truck operator may be asked to move if the Aviation Department or our law enforcement partners, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, determines the truck is impacting the safe and normal operations of the airport.
Weather And Delays
Airlines, FAA air traffic controllers, and pilots determine the delay, cancellation, or re-routing of flights. Inquiries about the number of impacted flights and passengers should be directed to individual airlines.
For more information about flight delays, go to the FAA’s Flight Delay Information from the
Air Traffic Control System Command Center (http://www.fly.faa.gov/flyfaa/usmap.jsp) or FLL’s website and search
Arrivals and
Departures.
Adverse weather conditions could affect airport operations due to airfield conditions, visibility, or other reasons. FLL does not close during most inclement weather conditions. Sometimes, operations may be interrupted to clear the runways or aircraft ramps.
Factors that impact decisions to have a flight delayed, canceled, or re-routed to other airports:
Atmospheric conditions
- Navigational equipment
- Aircraft equipment
- Pilot qualifications
- Ground movement
- Terminal gate availability
Only during severe weather would the runways close for any extended period of time. Flights may be delayed or canceled due to weather at the flight destination or in other cities. The Airport terminals would remain open unless damaged or other safety concerns warrant closing all or part of the terminal.
Hurricanes
Hurricanes can close the Airport to commercial passenger flights. Because of the time required to secure equipment after the last flights leave, the Airport will close several hours before sustained winds reach 39 mph. The timing of the cessation of passenger flights is to ensure that work crews can perform necessary tasks to prepare the Airport for the storm and allow sufficient time for workers to drive home before conditions are unsafe for travel.
The Broward County Emergency Operations Center and/or BCAD will issue a public statement (on the airport's website and via social media, X and Facebook) announcing its closing time.
Some airlines may stop operations several hours before the terminals close because they need to fly their aircraft away from the storm. As the storm approaches, please help us by advising passengers to check on their flight status by either calling their airline or checking the airline’s website or app.
After the storm, we will issue an updated statement on our website and via social media (X and Facebook) on the plan to resume passenger flights. Once again, just because the terminals have reopened does not mean airlines are resuming a full flight schedule. Please advise passengers to call their airline or check the airline’s website before they come to the Airport.
Two other items that the public should know:
1. The airport is not a hurricane shelter, and no one will be allowed to stay in the terminals.
2. The airport garages are unsuitable for vehicle storage during a hurricane.
FLL History
Merle Fogg Airport opened on May 1, 1929, on an abandoned nine-hole golf course. It was named in memory of Fort Lauderdale’s pioneer aviator.
The thunder of World War II brought big changes to the sleepy little airport. The Navy purchased the airport in June 1943 and renamed it Naval Air Station Fort Lauderdale. They quickly began improving the airfield and constructing military barracks. Its main function was to train pilots of aircraft-carrier-based torpedo attack planes. At the peak of the effort, 3,600 naval personnel The thunder of World War II brought big changes to the sleepy little airport. The Navy purchased the airport in June 1943 and renamed it Naval Air Station Fort Lauderdale. They quickly began improving the airfield and constructing military barracks. Its main function was to train pilots of aircraft-carrier-based torpedo attack planes.
It remained dormant until January 1948, when Broward County acquired and renamed it Broward County International Airport. In these early years, it operated as a general aviation facility. Then, in 1953, Mackey Airlines began international passenger service to Nassau, Bahamas. On October 1, 1959, it was renamed Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL).
Since its humble beginnings, the airport has grown into a modern air transportation facility. Today it serves over 35 million travelers, while in 2016, it served 29.2 million passengers. Because of the continued growth in traffic, the airport expanded the South Runway to 8,000 feet to accommodate commercial passenger airplanes.
The FLL airfield system consists of two parallel runways - the North and South Runways. The two runways have complex arrays of lighting and electronic equipment to allow landings and take-offs during periods of reduced visibility.
Over 25 airlines provide air service, averaging more than 330 daily departures. Nonstop flights to the Caribbean and South America are part of our robust route map portfolio. Four terminals and seven concourses at FLL serve the traveling public, with more than 60 gates.
The airfield system consists of four runways, the longest is 3,350 feet. Two of the runways are lighted for 24-hour operation. About 400 aircraft are based at the airport. HWO has an air traffic control tower that operates weekly from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Visit the
North Perry Airport website for more information about this general aviation airport.
