Wednesday, November 26, 2003
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Wednesday, November 26, 2003 |
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Airport prepares for heavy travel week By LINDSAY BIANCHI Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport officials are in full holiday mode to get passengers to their seasonal destinations this week. Officials are hopeful that the recent decrease in summer wait times will translate to the holiday season, but remind passengers that the Thanksgiving holiday travel period is the airport’s busiest time. Airport public relations manager Lanii Thomas said many passengers arrive home on the Monday after Thanksgiving and passengers should allow at least an extra 30 minutes for their arrival time. “As people make their way back and forth this holiday season, we anticipate seeing significantly more air travelers this Thanksgiving,” Aviation General Manager Ben DeCosta said this week in a press release. The heaviest travel days are expected to be today, with more than 233,000 passing through the gates, and Sunday, with 249,000 passengers returning home. “The surge in passenger volume is great news for the airline industry. We look forward to a very brisk holiday travel season,” said DeCosta, who expects the airport’s federal screeners to be particularly busy during the next few weeks. Airport officials and the Transportation Security Administration offered several tips this week for passengers traveling during the next six weeks: • For domestic flights, arrive a minimum of 90 minutes before your scheduled departure time. • Carry photo identification. The name on your ticket must match your ID. • Wait until you reach your destination to wrap presents. Wrapped gifts may be opened and inspected in some cases. • Pack all film inside your carry-on bags, as checked baggage screening may damage film. • In the event of inclement weather, call your airline ahead of time to determine the status of your flight. • Remember to remove all knives, scissors, corkscrews, and blades of any type or size from your carry-on baggage. Such items should be packed with in your checked baggage. These items are not permitted in the sterile area of the airport or on board aircraft. • Avoid wearing clothing, jewelry and accessories that contain metal. These items may set off the alarm on the metal detector. • Place identification tags in and on all of your baggage. • Carry-on baggage is limited to one bag plus one personal item per passenger. Personal items include a purse, briefcase, laptop computer or backpack. • If you have a medical condition that requires you to carry a needle or syringe on your person or in your carry-on baggage, you must have the medication that requires such injection on your person. The medication must be packaged with a pharmaceutical label or professionally printed label identifying the medication. • Only ticketed passengers are allowed past the security screening area. Persons wishing to greet travelers should meet in the baggage claim area or in the airport atrium area. • Call ahead to make advance arrangements with your airline if you require special assistance, such as a wheelchair. • For current parking availability, use one of three options: Call 1-877-ATL-PARK, tune in to Hartsfield-Jackson’s parking radio network AM 830, or visit www.atlanta-airport.com. • Use the airport’s hourly parking when picking up or dropping off passengers. Unattended vehicles parked at curbside will be ticketed and towed. • Look for an airport customer service representative wearing a teal green jacket to answer any questions you may have.
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