Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Eve Crowds at Logan Were Smaller Than Usual, But Many Have Traveled Despite Guidance

The CDC has urged people not to travel this Thanksgiving due to the increasing coronavirus cases, but many were still flying out of Logan International Airport in Boston ahead of the holiday

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With the pandemic reducing the number of flights and the number of people allowed on board planes as the CDC recommends against traveling this holiday season, Logan International Airport in Boston was quieter Wednesday than past Thanksgiving Eves.

To keep those who are flying safe, airlines are taking precautions.

AAA has said 50 million Americans have travel plans this holiday weekend, and 95% of that is by car.

Jomar Montanez said he could see and smell the difference.

"The plane I was on was pretty much clean," Montanez said. "I could smell the sanitizer when I got on. Everybody was wearing a mask. Semi-full. It was basically almost two people to a row with a seat in-between them."

Nonetheless, many travelers are nervous.

"Yeah, I'm nervous, of course," said Jocelyn Gates.

Many people say they are heading for much smaller Thanksgivings than in the past.

Montanez listed who would be at his gathering.

"Me and my mom, my brother, my uncle and his family," he said. "So, like, 10 people."

He said 20 to 30 people would normally have been there.

The CDC has asked people not to travel this year. Those who are going anyway are being told to take the COVID-19 precautions seriously.

"I think most people are taking safety precautions," said Nina MacDonald. "I got my hand sanitizer, I got my mask, and I'm not planning on going a lot of places. Just to my family members."

Another factor in the reduced numbers at Logan was the busy weekend. More people passed through TSA checkpoints from Friday through Sunday than at any time since the pandemic started.

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