Travelers on high alert after Fort Lauderdale airport shooting

PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (WPVI) -- Monitors at Philadelphia International Airport told a story of canceled flights to and from Fort Lauderdale Friday night.

Some travelers had no idea what had happened while they were on a plane.

"I was shocked to see that on the monitors. We came out of Akron-Canton today," said Pat Dimaruro from Kent, Ohio.

Many tell us they don't know what they would do if they were caught up in the middle of a horrible tragedy like the shooting at the Fort Lauderdale airport earlier in the day.

"I don't know what I would do in a situation like that, it's just scary," said Maria Rhakowski of Schuykill County, Pennsylvania.

"I think it's very unfortunate. We have to find a way to better evaluate how to improve security here," said Tierra Moore from Long Beach, California.

And then to learn that the gunman had legally checked in his pistol and put it through security, only to arrive at baggage claim and do what he did.

Suddenly air travelers are realizing that baggage claims at most airports are outside the secure area, and that perhaps that should change.

"To watch to make sure people get their baggage, its the correct baggage and nobody opens it and takes a chance and fires a gun out here," said Dianne Turner of Reading, Pennsylvania.

What's even more troubling to passengers is learning that the gunman was known to the FBI as having mental health issues, was turned over to local law enforcement in Alaska and somehow managed to get his gun back.

"Why did they give him back the gun? If there's mental health issues, why is he allowed to carry a gun?" said Joe Nichols of Broomall, Pennsylvania.

"That's just very unfortunate, he should not have been allowed to carry a gun, he should not have been allowed to have a license for a gun," said Ann Mariano from Los Angeles, California.

Clearly all of this is making some nervous about flying anywhere soon.

"Oh my God, kinda scares me, like now we're going to Florida in February, so we're not gonna fly, I'd rather drive," said Dennis Gonzalez of South Philadelphia.

This has certainly given air travelers a lot to think about, and we might be seeing some changes in the wake of this terrible tragedy.