Airline plans to pick up the extra passengers stranded overnight because of Hurricane Erin went off almost without a hitch yesterday.

Some airlines used bigger craft, while others put on extra flights to ensure everyone was returned to the United States and Canada after all outbound flights were cancelled on Sunday.

However, passengers arriving in Bermuda reported it took almost two hours to get through the airport at lunchtime yesterday due to the heavy late morning arrivals.

Acting Airport operations manager Michael Osborn said yesterday: "The airlines have handled things very well today and yesterday in letting us know well in advance of their plans so that the airport, passengers, and people meeting them were able to make plans."

Continental put on two flights out of Newark yesterday morning rather than the normal one, while American, Air Canada and USAirways used larger craft than normal for the route.

The Island's biggest carrier, USAirways, managed to book some of its passengers onto rival airlines after being hit with cancelling flights on Sunday, its busiest day.

Passengers whom The Royal Gazette spoke to yesterday were generally impressed by the rescheduling, although some queuing for the 1.45 p.m. USAirways flight to Philadelphia, which took off 15 minutes late, complained of having to wait in lengthy lines when half of the check-in desks were not staffed.

Earl Basden, USAirways station manager for Bermuda said: "Sunday is our busiest day and our reservations yesterday did a remarkable job rebooking with other carriers.

"We are the largest carrier and with our load factor we needed a little extra help from the other airlines.

"It was a bit hectic in the beginning with reissuing tickets, but for the most part customers were understanding about the situation with the weather here.

"You always get one or two people who don't like to wait, but they all got served and got away."

Cameron Mele, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who was waiting to check-in for the 1.45 to Philadelphia said: "It's terrible. We've been here for nearly 45 minutes and we haven't moved. They should have known it would be busy and every aisle should have been open."

Gertrude Rabain, a Bermudian who has lived in the US for the past 43 years and was lining up for the same flight, said after her flight was cancelled on Sunday, she was told she would have to wait until Tuesday, but managed to get the last seat.

"They've handled it very well," she added.Normal Miller and his wife Carol, from Dallas, Texas, who were in Bermuda for their 30th wedding anniversary, praised staff at Sonesta Beach. "The hotel was very good, wonderful, at keeping us updated with what was happening. My wife was terrified, she had never been in a hurricane before."

A resident returning from Boston yesterday said the queues for Immigration went right out of the door and passengers had to wait around 40 minutes.

"The heavy passenger loads meant another 40 minute wait for luggage, he added.

Meanwhile, the Horizon and Zenith cruise ships arrived in Hamilton from New York yesterday five hours late after taking a lengthier route to allow the stormy seas to calm down.

Picture: 10-Year-old Randal Seeger from Washington takes a break while waiting to board his plane and sits on his suitcase at the Bermuda International Airport. The Airport had to deal with extra flight today to accommodate stranded passengers (9 September) after all flights from the states were cancel to the possible hit on the island of Hurricane Erin. (Photo David Skinner)