By Brendan Scanland
WASHINGTON, D.C. — With Thanksgiving now just one week away, U.S. transportation officials are discussing what to expect in the skies and at airports next week.
“If recent experience is any guide, these will likely be some of the busiest travel days in U.S. history,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
Today at Reagan National Airport, federal transportation officials told the flying public the skies are safer than ever despite several close calls on the runway and in the skies over the past few years.
“The FAA works around the clock so that passengers are safe from takeoff to touchdown,” said FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker, adding that close calls are down this year. “For the first nine months of 2024, the rate of serious close calls decreased by 72% from the same period last year.”
2024 has seen record breaking levels of air travel. It’s been the busiest in the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) 23-year history, and officials say it is not slowing down for the holidays.
TSA is projected to screen 18.3 million people from Tuesday, Nov. 26 to Monday, Dec. 2. It’s a volume increase of roughly 6% from the same time last year. At regional airports, officials are also preparing for an increase in passenger traffic.
“Typically, all our American flights have been sold out,” said Derek Martin, Executive Director of the Erie International Airport in Erie County, PA. “It’s going to be pretty congested in the airport itself,” he added.
Martin says there are a few things passengers can do to ensure smooth travel like arriving on time. Passengers traveling domestically need to arrive at the airport at least 45 mins before their departure time. Martin also recommends having the airline’s app downloaded on a smartphone to monitor any last-minute changes and travel modifications.
But, above all else, “Have patience, that’s it. Be patient,” said Martin.
TSA projects the three busiest travel days will be next Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday.
Accompanying the busy holiday travel season is the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) transition into a new administration. With a new administration comes new leadership at DOT.
“It is my hope that regardless of the party in charge in Washington, the things we’ve done to make it easier to be an airline passenger in America and other actions we’ve taken will stand the test of time,” said Secretary Buttigieg, who will be replaced by former Congressman Sean Duffy, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the department.
Buttigieg utilized some time Thursday morning to highlight the Biden administration’s investments in transportation infrastructure and efforts for airline passenger rights.
“Our administration has overseen the largest expansion of airline passenger rights and enforcement in the history of our department,” said Buttigieg. “In terms of the public response to our expansion of airline passenger rights, it has been overwhelmingly positive. And I do think that’s an indication that measures like continuing to protect passengers can enjoy broad bipartisan support.”
