Airports tell panicked travelers: Don’t get here so early
AP News • • business
Key Points:
- Some U.S. airports with manageable security wait times, like John Glenn International Airport in Columbus, Ohio, are advising travelers not to arrive excessively early, as early arrivals are causing bottlenecks during peak times.
- The airport recommends arriving 90 minutes before departure to help space out arrival times and keep security lines moving smoothly.
- Security checkpoint wait times vary widely due to TSA staffing shortages linked to a government shutdown, with some airports like Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental experiencing lines up to four hours long.
- Airlines suggest passengers check TSA wait times before traveling since delays are unpredictable and differ by airport.
- The current traveler anxiety and early arrivals echo the panic behaviors seen during the early COVID-19 pandemic, driven by media coverage and uncertainty about airport conditions.
