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A2 UP FRONT
Friday 25 November 2022

Thanksgiving travel rush is back with some new habits

Continued from Front probably about on par
with 2019. The busiest day
The Transportation Security in TSA’s history came on the
Administration screened Sunday after Thanksgiving
nearly 2.3 million travel- in 2019, when nearly 2.9 mil-
ers on Tuesday, down lion people were screened
from more than 2.4 million at airport checkpoints.
screened the Tuesday be- Stephanie Escutia, traveling
fore Thanksgiving in 2019. with four children, her hus-
On Monday, the num- band and her mother, said
bers were up versus 2019 it took the family four hours
— more than 2.6 million to get through checking
travelers compared with and security at the Orlando
2.5 million. That same trend airport early Tuesday. The
occurred Sunday, mark- family was returning to Kan-
ing the first year that the sas City in time for Thanks-
number of people catch- giving after a birthday trip
ing planes on Thanksgiving to Disney World.
week surpassed pre-pan- “We were surprised at how
demic levels. full the park was,” said Es-
“People are traveling on cutia, 32. “We thought it
different days. Not eve- might be down some but it
ryone is traveling on that was packed.”
Wednesday night,” says Drivers travel on the New Jersey Turnpike and connecting roads in Elizabeth, New Jersey, on She welcomed the sense
Sharon Pinkerton, senior Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2022. of normalcy, and said her
vice president at the trade Associated Press family would be gather-
group Airlines for America. Wednesday and Sunday. week is going to go well.” ministration, “get tested ing for Thanksgiving with-
“People are spreading their U.S. airlines struggled to U.S. airlines plan to operate around the holidays. That out worrying about keep-
travel out throughout the keep up as the number 13% fewer flights this week seems to be when we ing their distance this year.
week, which I also think will of passengers surged this than during Thanksgiving have challenges,” Fron- “Now we are back to nor-
help ensure smoother op- year. week in 2019. However, by tier Airlines CEO Barry Biffle mal and looking forward to
erations.” “We did have a challeng- using larger planes on av- said a few days ago. “The a nice holiday,” she said.
AAA predicts that 54.6 mil- ing summer,” said Pinker- erage, the number of seats FAA is adding another 10% People getting behind the
lion people will travel at ton, whose group speaks will drop only 2%, accord- to headcount, hopefully wheel or boarding a plane
least 50 miles from home for members including ing to data from travel-re- that’s enough.” don’t seem fazed by higher
in the U.S. this week, a 1.5% American, United and searcher Cirium. Transportation Secretary gasoline and airfare prices
bump over Thanksgiving Delta. She said that airlines Airlines continue to blame Pete Buttigieg has disputed than last year or the wide-
last year and only 2% less have pared their sched- flight disruptions on short- such claims, saying that the spread concern about in-
than in 2019. The auto club ules and hired thousands of ages of air traffic control- vast majority of delays and flation and the economy.
and insurance seller says workers — they now have lers, especially in Florida, a cancellations are caused That is already leading to
nearly 49 million of those more pilots than before major holiday destination. by the airlines themselves. predictions of strong travel
will travel by car, and 4.5 the pandemic. “As a result, Controllers, who work for TSA expects airports to be over Christmas and New
million will fly between we’re confident that the the Federal Aviation Ad- busier than last year and Year’s.q

Biden brings Thanksgiving pies to

Nantucket first responders

quarters building wearing sea, at Guantanamo Bay, that could further disrupt
the hat. The president was Cuba, and at Whiteman the economy.
with the firefighters who Air Force Base in Missouri, After the visit, Biden re-
had lined up outside the the White House said. turned to the Nantucket
building to welcome him. “We remember them every home where he is taking
Biden had expressed ap- single day,” he said dur- in the holiday with family,
preciation for firefighters ing the broadcast. “God including son Hunter and
and other emergency per- bless our troops.” Jill Biden his wife, Melissa — who
sonnel earlier in the day appeared to try to get her are Beau’s parents — and
when he and his wife, Jill, grandson to talk to the fire- daughter Ashley.
President Joe Biden, center, standing next to Nantucket Fire spoke by telephone to the fighters, but Beau would They are camping out at a
Department Chief Michael Cranson, left, talks during a visit hosts of NBC’s broadcast not look up. She was over- sprawling waterfront com-
with firefighters on Thanksgiving Day at the Nantucket Fire of the Macy’s Thanksgiving heard saying she did not pound along Nantucket
Department in Nantucket, Mass., Thursday, Nov. 24, 2022. Day Parade in New York. know why he was being so Harbor owned by David
Associated Press
“I want to say thanks to the quiet. During a brief conver- Rubenstein, co-founder of
By DARLENE SUPERVILLE Day show of appreciation firefighters and police of- sation with reporters, Biden the Carlyle Group, a pri-
Associated Press and his toddler grandson ficers, first responders. They said he hopes the upcom- vate equity firm. Biden cel-
NANTUCKET, Mass. (AP) walked away with a red fire never take a break,” he ing Republican-controlled ebrated Thanksgiving at
— President Joe Biden on hat topping his blond curls. said during the call. The House will continue U.S. aid the home in 2021.
Thursday delivered at least “Oh wow,” Biden was Bidens spoke later Thursday to Ukraine. He also said his The Bidens have a more
half a dozen pumpkin pies heard to say upon seeing with units from each of the team is involved in negotia- than 40-year tradition of
to Massachusetts firefight- Beau Biden, who is nearly six branches of the U.S. mili- tions to avoid a freight rail spending Thanksgiving on
ers during a Thanksgiving 3, emerge from the head- tary, stationed in Europe, at strike in early December the Massachusetts island.q