If you're watching this and you have travel plans today, you might want to get an early start. Experts are predicting a record number of travelers on the road and in the sky. This Memorial Day, Triple A says that it could total nearly 44 million people during the all-time record. The TSA announced that on Friday, it screened nearly three million travelers at checkpoints nationwide, the most ever recorded in a single day. However, today, many flights could be impacted by severe storms across the country.
Up until a few minutes ago, Hartsfield Jackson Airport in Atlanta was under a ground stop, potentially affecting thousands of travelers. The storms could disrupt travel plans for many individuals returning home after the busy holiday weekend. The TSA set a new record on Friday with 2.95 million people screened at airports nationwide, just shy of the all-time high set after Thanksgiving.
With 2.7 million people expected to be screened at airports nationwide today, the air travel system faces challenges, especially with concerns about staffing shortages in the air traffic control system. Airlines for America expressed worries about the shortage of about 3000 air traffic controllers, particularly in towers across the New York area.
Weather remains a significant factor affecting travel, with departure delays and potential ground stops from Boston to Charlotte along the East Coast. The situation at Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International Airport has improved, with the ground stop lifted but departure delays still in place.
The holiday weekend extension into Tuesday and Wednesday may see continued high travel numbers, raising questions about the air travel system's performance throughout the summer. The industry is hopeful for solutions to address staffing shortages and ensure smooth operations despite the ongoing challenges.
