AAA expects busy Memorial Day travel weekend

AAA expects busy Memorial Day travel weekend

Memorial Day is often referred to as the unofficial start of summer.

The holiday weekend is also one of the busiest travel times of the year with AAA expecting 42 million Americans to head somewhere in the next few days. That’s a 7% bump from last year, potentially the third busiest Memorial Day weekend since 2000. And the busiest at the airports since 2005.

“We are ready to handle the expected increase in travelers this summer,” said Bart R. Johnson, TSA’s federal security director for 13 airports in Upstate New York. “I would ask that the travelling public do their part by arriving to the airport two hours prior to their scheduled flight departure and know what they can – and cannot pack – in their carry-on luggage so the TSA officers at the checkpoint can focus on the real threat to aviation,” he said.

Many Americans are still critical of the airline industry after several high profile outages and delays.

“To assist the TSA officers at the checkpoint, TSA has secured some new technologies at the checkpoint to enhance security,” Johnson said. “We have new computed tomography scanners that allow us to get a detailed 3-D image of the contents of carry-on bags. This new technology enables travelers to leave their electronics inside their carry-on bags and leave their 3-1-1 liquids inside as well, which is a convenience for travelers.”

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says while things are improving, this weekend will be a true test of the system.

“All of us have airline stories from last summer and the disruptions that took place then. Cancellation and delay rates were at unacceptable proportions last year, and it’s important that not happen again,” Buttigieg said.

The TSA says Monday was its busiest day since February 2020 with more than 2.6 million passengers screened.

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