Airports across the country are expecting an increase in passengers for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Eisenhower National Airport air service and marketing manager Valerie Wise said Tuesday and Wednesday will be the busiest days, along with the Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving. She said the airlines will have over three thousand seats scheduled on those days, and the airport is expecting a 22 percent increase in passengers.
Wise said people are urged to get to the airport two hours before their flight. With holiday travel, there will be more passengers, more families, more first-time flyers, and that tends to make lines longer at check-in counters and the security checkpoints.
Wise said the busiest times during the day will be 5:30 to 7:30 in the morning and from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Federal Security Director Tony Metcalf with the Transportation Security Administration in Wichita said people need to be aware of what they can and cannot have in carry-on luggage. He said the TSA website at www.tsa.gov has more information.
Hunters are traveling by air this time of year, and Metcalf said so far this year, TSA officers have discovered 15 firearms in carry-on bags at Eisenhower National Airport. He said guns must be in checked bags, they cannot be in the same container as the ammunition, and there is a check-in process for firearms.
Metcalf said when you’re packing for a trip, it’s best to start with an empty bag so you will know exactly what is being packed.
Wise said the Doubletree and Hampton Inn hotels near the airport are offering discounts for travelers so they can stay the night before their flight or after they arrive at the airport. More information is available at the web site flywichita.com
