TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — The busiest travel season of the year is here for the Thanksgiving holiday this week. FDOT and the TLH International Airport are expecting more travelers at the airport and along roads like I-10.
- The FAA forecasts more than 360,000 flights will be taken this week, making this travel period the busiest in 15 years.
- AAA predicts more than 73 million people will travel by car this year, up about 1.3 million people from last year.
- Watch the video below to hear about the travel impacts you should expect to see locally.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Thousands of travelers are expected to hit the streets and the air as the busiest travel season starts.
The travel period for Thanksgiving is expected to be its busiest in 15 years, as reported by the Federal Aviation Administration.
They’re forecasting more than 360,000 flights until next Tuesday.
Tallahassee International Airport Director of Aviation David Pollard says overall airline traffic has dropped locally this year since Silver Airways declared bankruptcy in June.
But he still expects about 25,000 people to enter in through the airport doors.
Though, he expects no major impacts to TSA security lines or flights.
“We work very closely every day with our stakeholders, our FAA and FDOT partners, and our airline partners as well, so this is something that we're always prepared for,” Pollard said.
Car travel is expected to be up this year, too, according to AAA.
It projects at least 73 million people will travel the road, up about 1.3 million from last year.
FDOT is preparing for that increase locally.
They’re expecting most travelers to use I-10, especially on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving.
They’re ramping up patrol and road ranger efforts to be available 24 hours.
“We seem to see an uptick in traffic, especially on those holidays, because not only do you have people traveling on I-10 that are in that region, but you have a lot of people who are coming into the region for the holiday, whether they're traveling for vacation,” FDOT Representative Ian Satter said.
FDOT is pushing for safety this year, encouraging drivers to leave early, pay attention, and avoid distractions, while the Pollard is encouraging neighbors to download airline apps to stay up to date on flight changes.
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