Thanksgiving Travel: What You Need To Know Before Flying Through CLT

CHARLOTTE, NC–Millions of people plan on flying to see their loved ones for Thanksgiving.  Jack Christine, chief operating officer with Charlotte Douglas International says this Wednesday, there will be more than 30,000 people flying out of the Charlotte Douglas International Airport. 

Today, it may be a lot more crowded due to a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for some of the workers. Starting November 22nd, 2021 all TSA employees are required to be vaccinated.

Some travelers worry that unvaccinated employees might lead to fewer workers and longer waits at the airport. Dennis Vaughn, a traveler from California says it isn’t right for people to have to be forced to get the vaccine if they don’t want to. 

Vaughn says, “”I think it’s totally ridiculous for them to have to be vaccinated to come to work. That’s going to cut down on a lot of travelers being able to get through the security measures that they take here.” 

A spokesperson with TSA says they’re already seeing a record-breaking number of passengers. They say more than 2.2 million people passed through U.S. airport security checkpoints on Friday. To date, that’s the highest single day number since the pandemic began. 

AAA predicts Thanksgiving travel overall will rebound to near pre-pandemic levels with more than 53-million Americans expected to be on the move. Officials expect the Sunday after Thanksgiving to be the busiest travel day. 

TSA Administrator David Pekoske says, “I recommend that travelers pay attention to the guidance that the TSA officers are providing at the checkpoint,”. Pekoske adds, “They may be directing you to a shorter line or guiding you around someone who is moving slowly. And they may be giving you some advice that will lessen the likelihood that you’ll need a pat-down.”