Thanksgiving

Logan Prepares for Spike in Travel for Thanksgiving

Massport CEO Lisa Wieland says this Thanksgiving is expected to be the largest holiday travel period since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Logan International Airport in Boston is getting ready

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Air travel is bouncing back since the pandemic nearly obliterated the industry.

"I think it's time for us to get out there and experience the world again," said passenger Simon Luxemburg at Logan International Airport. "Happy to be flying."

Nationwide, travel numbers are getting close to what they looked like before the pandemic.

"I need to see people," said passenger Alicia Vega of Cambridge, Massachusetts. "I think I may have been nervous in the heart of the pandemic last year, but I feel good. I'm vaccinated."

Travel period is expected to see a big spike with Thanksgiving next week.

"We think this will be the largest holiday travel period in nearly two years," said Massport CEO Lisa Wieland. "For many people, it will be their first time flying since the pandemic."

The airport is bracing for a surge in passenger traffic.

"At Logan, we're expecting between 800,000 and 900,000 passengers traveling through the airport, in and out, between Friday the 19th through the following weekend Monday the 29th," said Ed Freni, Massport's director of aviation.

AAA says more than 50 million people are expected to travel at least 50 miles between the day before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after. Most will be traveling on the roadways, but about 4 million will be traveling by plane.

"I think there's always a little bit of fear when you're traveling," said passenger Sam Balogh. "But double mask up, wash your hands, social distance when you can."

At Logan, passenger count is still down about 30% compared to before the pandemic.

Massport has introduced a new app, FlyLogan, to help passengers navigate through the airport.

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