PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — There were some cancellations and lingering delays at Philadelphia International Airport on Thursday, but it was an improvement after hundreds of flights in and out of the city were delayed Wednesday because of severe weather. It was a snag in what the TSA is calling the busiest summer travel season ever, with numbers surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
The summer travel season is running at full throttle, and PHL has been packed. Airport officials are projecting an 18% increase in volume this summer compared to last.
TSA officer Justine Larison says she sees it firsthand.
“We actually come in earlier than our scheduled start times every day, and the line is so long, even at 3 o’clock in the morning, there are a lot of families, a lot of travelers very early.”
It has been a flying frenzy in Philadelphia and around the country. TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein says it’s record-breaking.
“Twelve of the top 15 busiest days in the last 22 years have happened in just the last five weeks,” she said.
The record was set last Sunday with a little under 3 million people screened at U.S. airports. Current projections would set a new record on Friday — surpassing the 3 million mark for the first time ever.
These are numbers that are even higher than they were pre-pandemic.
At PHL, officials expect next week Wednesday to be the busiest day for Fourth of July travel.
TSA wants to make sure travelers get through security quickly. Larison says she must remind travelers of what they can and cannot carry on.
“A lot of people forget or they think they don’t need to do certain things like take off their shoes or take out their laptop or large electronics.”
Officers showed off a couple of bins containing items that people tried to carry on with them, which TSA was required to confiscate: pocket knives, a plastic Phillies bat, a mini golf club. But most of the confiscated items were bottles that contained more than the 3.4 oz. or 100 mL limit of liquid.
“Leave your large conditioner, shampoo, things of that nature at home,” said TSA officer Kamil Jakubowski. “Or pack it in a large suitcase and check it in as checked luggage.”
Some advice from officials: Get to the airport here a few hours early and opt in to email or text alerts from airlines to stay aware of delays, cancellations and other changes.