ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) – Memorial Day is a few days away, but the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said Thursday will be the busiest day for air travel ahead of the holiday weekend since 2019 with 53,515 forecasted flights. So, what can we expect to see locally?
Located in the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains, Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport is western Virginia’s primary full-service airport. ROA has around 40 scheduled airline flights arriving and departing daily-providing nonstop service to 8 major cities.
“We’re proud to serve the Roanoke Valleys and Franklin County, Bedford, into Lynchburg and the New River Valley. Most of those spots require driving here so give yourself even more time to navigate our highways. The volume of folks driving is up so don’t cut it too close,” said ROA PR, Marketing and Media Manager, Alex Briehl.
Memorial Day weekend is known as the unofficial kickoff to summer. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is expecting this year to be a record-breaking summer travel season. ROA is no exception. Briehl said they’re expecting an increased volume of passengers through Monday.
“On an average day, we have about 1,000 to 1,500 passengers coming through. We’re going to be on the high end of that from Thursday through Monday which is exciting so probably upwards of almost 600 passengers could pass through our doors. Also increasing our volume of passengers is some enhance service, for example American Airlines is flying to Charlotte 7-8 times a day. American Airlines is flying to Philadelphia now twice a day for the next few months and Allegiant if flying to St. Petersburg and Clearwater 3 times a week,” said Briehl.
With graduation ceremonies happening across our hometowns, summer travels, mixed with the holiday weekend, ROA said it’s a busy time but they’re well-prepared and equipped to meet traveler’s needs.
“We know that leisure travel is back and that means we have to be on our toes here. So, this weekend we will be fully staffed at TSA, our airline partners will be fully staffed, our parking lot, we have volunteers here to help answer questions. We’ll be ready to go,” said Briehl.
The Airport offers the following tips to help ensure passengers have a smooth travel experience:
· Plan ahead where you will park and familiarize yourself with the parking lot enhancement project now underway. The most availability will be found in the Economy Lot across Aviation Drive which is $8 a day. Follow signage and use the crosswalk closest to the Rental Car Facility to cross Aviation Drive. Availability may also be found in the southern portion of the Long-term Lot (where the Cell Phone Lot was previously located).
· Download your airline’s app for the most-up-to date flight information, track your checked luggage, navigate through your connecting airport, and more.
· Start packing a bag that is already empty. Unzip every compartment and know what’s in your carry-on before arriving at the airport to avoid any delays at the checkpoint. Have a question about what you can bring through security? Visit https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/all. Liquids, aerosols, gels, creams, and pastes are allowed in carry-on bags as long as each item is 3.4 ounces or less and placed in one quart-sized bag.
· Give yourself plenty of time. We recommend 2 hours to find a parking spot, check your bag, get through security, and get to the gate. While we pride ourselves on short security lines, it is best to give yourself plenty of time so your holiday weekend kicks off smoothly.
· Avoid idling at the curb if picking up a traveler. All parking lots are free for the first 30 minutes. Ask the traveler to give you a call when they have retrieved their bags.
TSA offers these additional travel tips, including information on REAL ID, traveling with a firearm, and more.
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