Summary
- Memorial Day weekend travel was off to a busy start with record TSA screenings on Friday, breaking all records.
- Airlines prepared for the travel rush, with American, United, and Delta carrying millions of passengers over the weekend.
- Severe storms caused delays and cancelations at airports in some parts of the country on an otherwise busy weekend.
Memorial Day weekend is one of the busiest traveling periods in the United States. Judging by the crowds at the airport, it is likely to shatter all records this year. Millions of passengers passed through TSA checkpoints over the last few days, although there were some service disruptions due to dangerous storms in some parts of the country. Overall, airlines were busy ferrying passengers over the busy weekend.
Record traffic
US airports witnessed a massive surge in passenger numbers over Memorial Day weekend, with the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening a record number of people across the country.
On Friday, May 24, the TSA set a new record after screening 2.95 million passengers in one day, toppling the previous record of 2.91 million set during Thanksgiving last year. This is likely a sign of things to come as 2024 looks to set many more records, with the entire summer season looking quite promising as well.
All major US carriers were prepared for the travel rush, with American Airlines estimating to carry 3.9 million passengers, up 10% from last year. United expected to fly 3 million passengers over the Memorial Day weekend, while Delta Air Lines said it planned to carry just under 3 million passengers.
Photo: BravoKiloPhoto | Shutterstock
There were, however, a few hiccups, as inclement weather caused flight cancelations and delays at some airports in the country. Parts of Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas saw severe storms, including tornadoes, wreaking havoc, damaging homes, and also taking the lives of several people.
Photo: Oleksii Halutva | Shutterstock
Consequently, some airports faced operational disruptions, and by Monday morning, over 1,000 flights were delayed, and around 130 were canceled.
Honoring service members
Some airlines showed their appreciation for those in the armed forces, including Alaska Airlines, which featured a patriotic paint scheme honoring fallen soldiers & military members on select aircraft. Aviation enthusiasts and plane spotters noticed that the carrier had a fourth aircraft in the special livery, and its second Boeing 737 MAX 8, which is expected to join its fleet soon.
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Memorial Day: Alaska Airlines 2nd Boeing 737 MAX 8 Seen In Special “Honoring Those Who Serve” Livery
The aircraft will be the carrier’s fourth plane to wear the special commemorative design.
Registered as N806AK, the 737 was first spotted last month at Renton Municipal Airport (RNT) with its wingtip painted in the US flag colors and its tail partially painted. The livery is made of a red stripe and blue fuselage with the phrase “Honoring Those Who Serve” displayed above the windows.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby also took the opportunity to thank the service members, calling the United States “the greatest country in the history of Earth” and lauding those who “put their lives on the line to keep this the greatest country on Earth and to be a beacon of democracy, hope, and freedom for the rest of the world.”
Memorial Day flyovers
There were also special flyovers performed to commemorate Memorial Day. As reported by 9news, the 140th Wing of the Colorado Air National Guard conducted flyovers in Greeley, Parker, Silver Cliff, Monte Vista, Grand Junction, Grand Lake, Denver, Thornton, and Boulder. It quoted 140th Wing Commander U.S. Air Force Col. Jeremiah “Weed” Tucker as saying,
“Memorial Day flyovers are more than just a display of aerial precision, they are a solemn salute to our fallen heroes. Each pass through the sky honors their bravery and reminds us of the high price paid for our freedom.”
What was your Memorial Day weekend flying like? Please leave a comment below.