MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FLA. (WSVN) - Crowd control was in full swing at airports across the country as travelers braved prolonged wait times in order to make it back home from their Thanksgiving trips.
Millions of Americans loaded up their cars or piled into planes, determined to reclaim the holiday traditions that were put on pause last year by the coronavirus pandemic.
7News cameras captured long lines at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Sunday afternoon.
“It could go faster,” said Greg Popham, who was traveling to Charlotte.
“Long, very long,” said a traveler who identified himself as Matthew.
Some travelers planned ahead to ensure they wouldn’t be stuck in the Sunshine State.
“Just a little bit of a wait time, hoping to get cleared in the next 45 minutes or so, so we were prepared and got in a little earlier than normal,” said Alex, who is traveling to Dayton, Ohio.
Over at Miami International Airport, officials said the 12-day Thanksgiving travel period was expected to be the busiest since the pandemic began.
The Transportation Security Administration projected more than 150,000 passengers passed through security.
Traveler Wanita Emundson said she was stuck in a line before even walking through the door.
“We thought we were going to get here early, but once we got in through, with all the traffic, it was, it seemed like the time was going really fast,” she said, “so we were starting to panic, thinking, ‘Hurry up, get out.'”
According to iFLY, security wait times Sunday morning averaged between 15 to 20 minutes for a line that was about as long as an entire football field.
Travelers at Boston Logan International Airport were not happy with the wait times that greeted them upon arrival.
“It’s what time? Six-thirty in the morning. I don’t like it. We were expecting no line,” said a traveler.
“It’s ridiculous. It really is. I’m flying to Minneapolis, and the airports work much better there,” said another traveler.
Despite the lines, one man said he’s certain he will make his plane after mixing up his departure time.
“I didn’t read my ticket right. My flight’s at 7 p.m., and I got here for 7 a.m.,” he said.
Auto club AAA estimated nearly 4 million Americans would travel this week.
Nationwide, the number of air travelers this week is expected to approach or even exceed pre-pandemic levels.
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