ROMULUS, Mich. – A strike Wednesday by some Uber and Lyft drivers at Detroit Metro Airport could have caused a major inconvenience for travelers, but it didn't turn out to be much of a problem.
Drivers participating in the strike could have turned off their apps or left them on without responding, stranding potential riders. But the rideshare area at DTW was filled with people waiting for their Ubers and Lyfts without a problem.
"I'm here to take an Uber or a Lyft, hopefully," traveler Phillip Garcia said.
Garcia said he flies into DTW once a month from Fort Lauderdale on his way to Toledo.
"It's usually within the first five to seven minutes I have an Uber," Garcia said.
On Wednesday, his ride was 11 minutes away. It was a little longer than normal, but not bad, Garcia said.
Other riders in the area were just learning about the strike.
"My wife sent me a text with the screenshot of the TV saying Uber and Lyft were on strike, and I said, 'Well, you may have to come pick me up,'" one traveler said.
He said he hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary.
"So far it says it's six minutes away, so let's hope it stays that way," he said.
Garcia's driver didn't even know about the strike until Wednesday. Local 4 asked if he would have made the pickup if he had known about the strike.
"I think I would have," driver Allen Harris said. "You have to respect workers and you have to give them the opportunity when we're sitting around -- give us some benefits and help. Uber and Lyft are making a lot of money. As in anything, you should share it with your employees."
The strike is scheduled to last until 10 p.m. Wednesday. Some drivers told Local 4 they had planned to picket in the terminal, but they were denied by airport officials.