TSA screens pandemic record number of travelers
The TSA notched a new pandemic record on the day before Christmas Eve for the highest number of travelers screened.
Nearly 1.2 million passed through security checkpoints, surpassing the previous high of 1.1 million the Sunday following Thanksgiving.
It is the most of any day since 16 March.
Unsurprisingly, Christmas Day was significantly quieter with 616,000 travelers flying.
Still, it marks an average of nearly one million daily travelers over the past seven days
While numbers are at their highest for months, it is still about 60% less than pre-pandemic air traffic.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has continually urged Americans to stay home to avoid spreading the virus and creating another spike in infections like just after Thanksgiving.
"We need to try to stop this exponential increase and so we’re really asking the American public to prevent these infections and avoid travel," Dr. Henry Walke, the CDC’s Covid-19 incident manager, said before the holiday.
The TSA is expecting Sunday to the busiest day yet as travelers head home after the holiday.
"If you choose to travel this holiday, please wear a mask," TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said in a tweet announcing the screening numbers.
Written by Ray Montgomery, US Editor
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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