HOLIDAY travelers are bracing for packed airports this Labor Day weekend with the TSA warning of the biggest crowds in history.
Millions are expected to pour into airports, raising fears of long lines, flight delays, and missed connections.
TSA is warning of the busiest Labor Day travel period ever (stock image)[/caption]
TSA has issued a nationwide warning, predicting 17.4 million passengers will travel from Thursday[/caption]
At Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, passengers faced a ground stop on Thursday morning, which triggered a ripple effect of disruptions throughout the day.
The incident occurred just as the holiday getaway began, leaving many stranded or facing hours-long delays.
Officials confirmed the pause in departures was caused by communications interruptions between air traffic controllers and pilots, ABC affiliate WABC-TV reported.
The same technical problem brought flights to a halt at Newark earlier this spring, sparking cancellations and widespread delays.
Now, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is bracing for record-setting traffic across its four major airports – Newark, JFK, LaGuardia, and New York Stewart International.
An estimated 2.4 million passengers are expected to pass through those hubs during the six-day holiday period.
United Airlines said it is preparing to carry half a million more travelers than it did last year.
“We make sure that our facilities are ready, things are working. We make sure that our staffing is correct and in place, ready to help customers,” said Cyrus Sarkari, a United Airlines representative.
“And we do this over and over again so we have a lot of experience.”
One flyer tried to keep their cool, adding: “You know you can’t get yourself upset. It’s a holiday weekend. There’s a lot of people, lots of crying babies, they’re more unhappy than I am.”
The Port Authority also expects about 4.2 million vehicles to use its bridges and tunnels over the weekend – on par with last year’s volume.
For drivers, the worst congestion is forecast between noon and 8 pm Friday and between 10 am and 6 pm Saturday.
Experts say the best times to hit the road are before noon on Friday or before 10 am on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the TSA has issued a nationwide warning, predicting 17.4 million passengers will travel from Thursday, August 28, through Wednesday, September 3.
LABOR DAY TRAVEL CHAOS
- 17.4M flyers expected nationwide between Aug 28 – Sept 3
- Busiest day: Friday, with nearly 3M passengers
- Newark ground stop Thursday triggered ripple-effect delays
- 2.4M passengers forecast across NYC airports over six days
- 4.2M vehicles to use Port Authority bridges & tunnels
- Best times to drive: Before noon Friday, before 10 am Saturday
- Worst times to drive: Noon–8 pm Friday, 10 am–6 pm Saturday
- New TSA rule: Shoes can stay on at checkpoints
The agency says Friday will be the busiest travel day, with nearly 3 million flyers expected to take to the skies in a single day.
That figure is well above the average of 2.4 million travelers screened on a typical day.
To avoid chaos, passengers are urged to arrive at least two hours early and make sure they follow TSA rules to prevent extra delays at checkpoints.
The agency also reminded travelers of a recent rule change – passengers can now keep their shoes on while going through security.
“Ending the ‘Shoes-Off’ policy is the latest effort DHS is implementing to modernize and enhance traveler experience across our nation’s airports,” Secretary Kristi Noem said.
Officials believe the change could shave valuable minutes off wait times at crowded checkpoints.
Still, with more than half of Americans – about 148 million people – planning to travel this Labor Day weekend, passengers are being warned to plan or risk major headaches.
