Tuesday marked the beginning of peak air travel for the Thanksgiving weekend at Spokane International Airport.
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) spokeswoman Lorie Dankers said the agency predicted 6,300 passengers would shuffle through security checkpoints at Spokane International on Tuesday. Today is expected to be even busier, with projections of 7,400 passengers. Those projections are at or near record highs, Dankers said.
The TSA defines the whole Thanksgiving travel period as November 17-28. During that stretch, the security agency said it expected to screen more than 73,000 passengers at Spokane International.
The busiest day this season is forecast to be Sunday, November 26, when more than 7,400 people are predicted to begin their post-holiday journeys at the airport.
Dankers noted this is a time of year in which more people tend to travel with food and beverages. One person even brought a whole turkey through security at the airport Monday (that was okay under TSA rules, Dankers said).
Solid foods can be packed in a carry-on bag. But liquids above 3.4 ounces should go in checked baggage, just like on everyday flights. That includes canned goods and spreadable foods, such as jams and jellies.
If in doubt, Dankers said, consider this rule of thumb: "If you can spread it, spill it, pump it or pour it — and it’s larger than 3.4 ounces — then it should travel in a checked bag."
If passengers are bringing wine, sauces or other edible liquids and spreads to their destination, Dankers said, they should wrap and pack the items carefully.
"Things shift around in checked baggage," Dankers said. "You don't want to be wearing gravy all week."
And owing to the higher-than-normal passenger traffic this week, Dankers recommends the obvious: get to the airport earlier than you normally would.
Dankers noted that passenger volumes are expected to be so heavy this Thanksgiving that TSA is bringing in additional staffers to help operate security lines. Those TSA agents and other workers are typically based at other airports, but will be temporarily dispatched to Spokane to help keep checkpoints and scanners running.
Peak travel times this week at Spokane International generally fall into three windows: from 4:00 to 7:00 a.m.; from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.; and from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Other parts of the day should have fewer passengers, Dankers said, but there will also be fewer TSA staffers during the lulls. So arriving at the airport earlier than normal is advised, regardless of one's flight departure time.
