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Brace for Impact of Holiday Flying
Dulles International Airport expects 10 percent more travelers this Thanksgiving season than last.
(By Rich Lipski -- The Washington Post)
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Some analysts urged passengers to bring an extra set of clothes in their carry-ons and consider not checking luggage at all to avoid any chance of lost bags.
"It will be a much smoother experience if you can carry on your bags," said Anne Banas, editor of SmarterTravel.com.
Airline executives said they will be able to handle any increase in checked bags. They also urged passengers to check in early and print out boarding passes at home to speed the process.
Once at the airport, expect big crowds.
The Air Transport Association, a trade group that represents U.S. airlines, predicts that there will be 3 percent more passengers during the 12-day period starting today than there were in the comparable period last year. During peak dates -- the day before Thanksgiving and the following Sunday and Monday -- the trade group expects 15 to 20 percent more fliers than the average day this year.
Washington Dulles International Airport is expecting nearly 10 percent more travelers, or about 4,000 people daily, on average during the 12-day holiday travel period, than it would in September, said Tara Hamilton, an airport spokeswoman.
Hamilton and others urged passengers to avoid bringing wrapped gifts in their carry-on bags.
"That could really slow the lines," Hamilton said. Parents should ensure that their children are ready to enter checkpoints to speed the process, she said.
Once on board, passengers may feel more cramped than during the relatively slow fall travel season. Aircraft will be more than 80 percent full on average during the Thanksgiving travel period and much more packed on the peak days, according to the Air Transport Association.
Aircraft were about 75 percent full in September, for example, the group said.
Lisa Davis, editor of Frequent Flyer magazine, urged passengers to book rental cars and hotel rooms near airports so they have backup plans if their flights are scratched. Before booking a car or hotel, passengers should make sure the reservations can be canceled without penalty if they make their flights, she said.
