The Transportation Security Administration says there were around 1-million air travelers-per-day on three days last week. While some may have been surprised to board full planes during the pandemic, those who work onboard say they are used to it.
The Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), which represents the flight attendants for American Airlines, says the plane have actually been full for some time.
"You saw more people traveling, but that doesn't mean that flights previously throughout the summer weren't full as well. So our focus has been and continues to be on the safety of the passengers and the crew onboard the aircraft" said Paul Hartshorn Junior, spokesman for the APFA.
He says airlines like American saw too many planes that were nearly empty. So they cut the number of routes, forcing more passengers to board fewer planes.
Passengers, for the most part, followed the new rules requiring masks be worn over the nose and mouth during the entire flight. And while there were some arguments that broke out, those were few and far between, said Hartshorn, adding there is always more stress during the holiday season. The new guidelines during the pandemic amplified the problem, he said.
