Travelers urged to remain patient

With 1.2 million in area expected on roads, at airport, allowing extra time is key; 'We'll all get there, eventually'

By Todd Beamon | SunSpot Staff

November 25, 2003

More than 1.2 million people in the Baltimore region are expected to travel this Thanksgiving Day holiday -- finding more airport security checkpoints, lower gasoline prices from the summer, stepped-up efforts against drunken driving by authorities and calls for patience.

"I can't emphasize the importance of being patient on the road," said John White, a spokesman in Baltimore for AAA Mid-Atlantic. He said at least 635,000 Marylanders are expected to drive 50 miles or more this holiday weekend. "Anything you can do to allow extra time on the road will help you. ... We'll all get there, eventually."

Cheryl Stewart, a spokeswoman for Baltimore-Washington International Airport, which is expecting about 640,000 people to travel through its gates over an 11-day period that began last Friday and ends Sunday, agreed.

The anticipated figure is up 8 percent over last year, she said.

"We're hoping that travel this year can be as hassle-free for our customers as possible," Stewart said. The airport has added two security checkpoint lanes each in Piers C and D. BWI officials also are working with the U.S. Transportation Security Agency to speed along the check-in process, she said.

"We'll have staff working extra hours to assist passengers," Stewart said. "They will also pull you out of lanes to help you catch flights. You will make your flight on time."

Stewart said BWI officials were anticipating about 70,000 passengers today, as many set out for destinations early.

"This morning, it was pretty busy, but it's since slowed down," she said. On Wednesday, the heaviest period for travelers is expected to be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., while Sunday's volume is expected to peak between noon and 5 p.m., she said.

"Most people want to put off returning as much as possible," Stewart said.

To speed check-in, passengers should pack all sharp objects -- from scissors to nail clippers to tools -- in checked baggage. "Anything that's questionable, put it in checked baggage," Stewart said.

A complete list of items that cannot be carried aboard flights is listed on the TSA's Web site, www.tsa.gov.

In Washington, Amtrak spokesman Dan Stessel said 550,000 passengers were predicted to travel by rail between Tuesday and Monday. To better serve the influx of riders, Amtrak has added 70 extra trains.

As for the roads, White of AAA Mid-Atlantic said that the 635,000 Marylanders expected to take to the streets and highways are among a total of 31 million nationally that the organization estimates will drive somewhere this holiday weekend.

In total, AAA Mid-Atlantic is anticipating 36 million travelers, with 4.6 million using air transportation.

"Generally, travel has been up by 3 percent this year," White said. "It's encouraging that more people are traveling now."

While the roads are expected to be filled with drivers on Wednesday and Sunday, many more Americans are continuing to do their driving on Thanksgiving Day itself, he said.

"There will be a lot of driving on Thanksgiving Day," White said. "Many people are visiting friends and relatives, and they do not have to drive very far."

Motorists will find gas prices far lower than during Labor Day, when supplies were tighter. The national average price for a gallon of self-service regular gasoline is $1.51, down from $1.71 during Labor Day weekend, White said. In Maryland, the average cost is $1.49 a gallon -- and it's $1.46 a gallon in the Baltimore region.

For Eastern Shore travelers, the average self-service regular price is $1.40 a gallon in Salisbury, White said.

These prices compared with a national average last Thanksgiving Day weekend of $1.42 a gallon, compared with $1.44 in Maryland, $1.43 in the Baltimore region and $1.30 in Salisbury, White said.