The Thanksgiving holiday travel rush is kicking off at Miami International Airport, and airport officials told CBS News Miami that they are well prepared.
“This is our busy time of the year. This is kind of like our Super Bowl,” said Daniel Velez with TSA.
Now that the travel chaos caused by the government shutdown is over, people who are traveling by air are relieved.
“We were wondering if we would have to change our plans, but luckily things have been smooth and OK,” said Olivia Donaldson, passenger.
At MIA, employees are already seeing record numbers this holiday season.
“Our Thanksgiving travel period is the Friday before Thanksgiving to the Monday after, so we’re already seeing record numbers. And we expect to see closer to two million travelers over that time. So, very exciting and we’re ready and welcoming to everyone that’s coming,” said MIA Communications Director Greg Chin.
And just in time for the holiday, at checkpoint two, new 3D x-ray machines have been put in place to speed up the TSA process.
“We have computed tomography 3D x-ray scanners that allow our transportation security officers to rotate an item 360° and even pull it apart,” said Velez.
With the FAA predicting that most flights will happen on Tuesday, TSA is asking passengers to avoid prohibited items like handguns, knives, and even a hand grenade, which they’ve found in the past. TSA said this will help passengers avoid delays and keep everyone safe.
“Things are back to normal here at TSA. We’re processing people as quickly as we can and safely as we can, and we’re excited,” said Velez.
That is just the news passengers want to hear.
“So far without a hitch, not a problem,” said Lauren Jefferson, passenger.
