RDU predicts 167,000 Thanksgiving flyers

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Raleigh-Durham International Airport said that it expects this year’s Thanksgiving holiday traffic to be much lower than it was last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The airport said in a news release Monday that it’s expecting 167,000 passengers to fly through the airport from Nov. 23 to Nov. 30. It predicts the busiest travel day will be Sunday, with about 9,100 passengers. The airport said it expects about 8,400 travelers to fly through the airport on Tuesday.

By contrast, 54,800 passengers flew through the airport on the Sunday after Thanksgiving in 2019.

For the entire year, RDU predicts it will have served fewer than five million passengers. That compares to more than 14 million in 2019.

The airport said it has enhanced safety measures due to the pandemic including more frequent and deeper cleaning, plexiglass shields at ticket counters and hand sanitizer stations throughout the terminals.

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Photo via RDU