Although there will be articles coming up in the coming weeks about the crush coming at airports and on airlines during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday periods, don’t worry too much. Airports are already crowded and planes are flying at close to 90 percent capacity, so the crowds can’t get much bigger.
Remember the warnings we used to get about navigating the airport crowds during the holidays? We were told to get to the airport early. We were told to come with a big sense of humor. And, we were admonished to be more patient than ever.
The visions are frightening — hundreds of children scampering across the airport waiting area; grandma and grandpa walking slowly, very slowly, through TSA inspection lanes wondering why the machine keeps beeping (and they are not alone); long lines snaking through the check-in areas; crowds at customer service desks; then having the back of your seat kicked regularly on a transcontinental flight.
Well, more crowded airports are something which travelers can look forward to. However, not that much more crowded. At the most, airports will be about 10 percent more crowded than any other time during the year.
The visions that I referred to earlier were based on a day and age when airlines were normally flying at less than 70 percent load factors during the year and facing 90 percent loads during the holidays. In those days, holidays meant 28 to 38 percent more passengers with no increase in staffing, or minimal staffing increases at best. That was when the proverbial problems proliferated profoundly. That was when airports seemed to be overrun with humans scurrying like ants racing to boarding gates. That was when parents hyperventilated trying to maintain control of their children and keep them moving in the right direction.
OK, so what do the holidays mean these days? If not more passengers, then what other hassles will prevail? Here is what you will find. Try not to add to the confusion and come with plenty of good humor.
Long lines for baggage check. This is the part of the airport that will be the most crowded in comparison to non-holiday travel. Holidays mean presents and if they aren’t in carry-on bags (and, thankfully more are not) they go into checked baggage. So, be ready for delays when checking your bags. Better yet, ship every gift via FedEx, the post office or UPS.
Passengers with overweight bags, shifting clothes and gifts from one bag to another. You would think that the airlines would allow passengers with a total weight of two bags that equals two times the weight of one bag to check baggage for normal checked baggage fees. However, I have experienced baggage check-in agents making sure that each bag is the right weight, when both of the bags are under the combined weight limit.
Santa bringing wrapped gifts through security. This thoughtful practice of wrapping gifts for family and friends is frowned upon by TSA grinches. Even with machines that can look beneath our clothing to see the hair on our arms, they find it necessary to unwrap gift after gift. And, the security lines get longer and longer.
Families traveling together. Warning! Do not get in a security line behind a family of five with a 6-year-old, 4-year-old and a child in a pram. You know that their trip through security will be delayed. Or, if travelers find themselves in such a position, relax and wait it out with patience. Huffing and puffing will not make the process any faster or lower one’s blood pressure.
Traveling with holiday food for friends and family. I have been guilty of this myself. TSA is just as confused. Can travelers carry a pumpkin pie aboard a plane? Is jellied cranberry sauce OK? Or, is it ground cranberry sauce that can pass through security? What about homemade jam? Is frozen food a solid or a liquid? Best bet — leave it home. Or, stick with cookies.
Travel with food. No, this is not a contradiction to the previous rule. The airport restaurants will be packed. Finding a place to sit will be a hassle. So, bring your own sandwiches, fried chicken, salads, snacks and cookies that can be made at home. And, bring lot of napkins. This allows families to keep everyone happy. If water is a necessity, bring an empty plastic water bottle and fill it up on the airline side of security. Don’t pay the extortionate rates for bottled water after security checkpoints.
A shortage of outlets for recharging computers, tablets and smartphones. Airports still haven’t figured this out. I faced the problem just last month at LAX and in DCA and in Charlotte. In Charlotte, I have my secret spot, but otherwise I travel with a six-plug extension cord. When I pulled it out in LA, I got a loud cheer and eventually sold it to one of the passengers who was staying after my departure.
Boarding groups 3, 4, and 5 creating a maze for boarding groups 1, 2, and 3. When fellow travelers claim that the Southwest boarding process of lining up by boarding numbers is a “cattle call,” I suggest they watch the boarding process at American, United and Delta, where passengers have to fight their way to the gate and where walking down the wrong lane on the wrong carpet gets them turned away.
Crowds forming a barrier blocking the luggage carousel. We have all faced this problem. And, it will only be worse during the holidays when more and more bags are checked. For some reason, passengers feel the need to get right next to the baggage carousel, blocking the view of those behind them as well as access to the belt should other passengers spot their bag. This is an age-old problem that is exacerbated by more passengers checking bags than normal.
Major lines at the lost luggage counter. This hassle is a double play. Not only do travelers have to deal with the hassles of check-in with baggage and then fight the blockade encircling the baggage carousels, they have to endure long lines should their luggage not make the connecting flight. And, during the holidays, more baggage misses connections than harried passengers. Make sure to take a good look at your bag. Note its make, color and model. Take a photo. Put your destination and home address inside the bag. That will make having your bag reunited with you much easier. Then pray.
