CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As Memorial Day is upon us, West Virginia International Yeager Airport is anticipating an additional 200 passengers per day for the summer travel season ahead.
They have been working with the Transportation Security Administration to prepare for the large influx of summer travelers coming in and out of the airport.
The TSA confirmed more than 3.5 million people would travel by air over the course of the Memorial Day weekend alone.
CRW President and CEO Dominque Ranieri said to come prepared when traveling by plane this summer.
“We want to remind our travelers to arrive to the airport earlier during this summer travel season just to have that wiggle room, we don’t anticipate really long wait times but you never know,” Ranieri said.
Ranieri said on a typical day, CRW sees between 600 to 700 passengers, but now they’re already seeing numbers in the 800 and 900 range as summer travel gets underway.
She said the influx is due in part to additional flights being added to address the summer surge, but adding that it’s also largely due to the new flights to Myrtle Beach, Tampa, and Orlando through Breeze Airways.
Ranieri said no matter the reason, they are embracing the increase in passengers coming through Yeager Airport this summer.
“We love having the additional seats in our market and we love seeing our community utilize those seats that are available, because that’s the only way to keep those flights and to attract more,” she said.
The TSA asks passengers to arrive at the airport two hours ahead of their scheduled flight and know what they can–and cannot pack– in their carry-on luggage.
They suggest travelers utilize the “Can I Bring?” feature on the TSA website or on the free downloadable myTSAapp.
People planning to do a lot of traveling this summer should consider enrolling in TSAPreCheck, the TSA says. It’s a program that allows passengers to leave their shoes, jackets and belts on when going through the checkpoint, and lets them keep electronics in their carry-on bags.
Ranieri said working closely with TSA to maximize efficiency during the summer travel months is crucial in keeping their reputation of being known as a very easy airport to get through.
“And while the airport doesn’t control the ticketing or baggage, we also pitch in when they need help to make sure our passengers are having the best experience as possible,” she said.
As always TSA also reminds passengers to not attempt to bring a firearm through the checkpoint. Passengers who do attempt to bring one can expect to receive up to a $15,000 dollar fine.
Ranieri said while being prepared and coming ahead of time are factors that can be controlled, the weather is one that can’t and can be a major cause of flight delays.
However, she said continuing to be prepared and coming early are the best steps one can take to help CRW make it a smooth and efficient summer travel season.
“Of course, weather is something we cannot control and sometimes your flight is affected not just by weather here at the airport but also where those aircraft are traveling from, so we appreciate all of our passengers checking in with their airlines and checking in on those flight schedules before they head to the airport so they’re not stuck sitting here,” she said.
Ranieri added that passengers should make sure they download the app for their airline as it’s full of information specific to their exact trip.