Strikes, rain and snow pose challenges during the record Thanksgiving travel week

On November 25, 2024By Littum

Labor strife and wintry weather — as well as the traditional kids bickering in the back seat — will make travel that little bit more difficult during a record-breaking holiday travel period this week

Service workers at North Carolina’s Charlotte Douglas International Airport walked off the job at 5 on Monday morning, after voting to strike on Friday – adding to the difficult weather conditions facing much of the country in what is expected to be the busiest holiday travel period on record.

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) announced the start of industrial action on Monday, saying it planned to end poverty wages and demand “respect on the job during the holiday travel season.”

The striking workers are ABM and Prospect Airport Services employees whose duties include cleaning inside planes and assisting passengers in wheelchairs. There were workers also went on strike in May.

Thanksgiving travel disruption — Travelers check in for their flights at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago on November 22.Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images

The airport’s online departure board did not immediately show any effect of the strike. Charlotte Douglas is the ninth busiest airport in the United States, serving more than 25 million passengers last year.

Later Monday, about 100 SEIU workers at Los Angeles International Airport plan to rally for better pay and access to affordable health care, potentially increasing travel delays on the West Coast. The union is asking for the minimum wage to be raised from $25 to $30 an hour.

It took traveler Marc Supreme 12 hours to get from Peoria, Illinois, to Atlanta on Thursday because of ice and snow, and he says he’s worried the week could have more bad weather in store for the Midwest.

“Yes, it does. It does, especially because I didn’t even know there was weather. I should have checked, so I guess it’s one of the things about the holidays, so make sure you check the weather, because I had no idea I was going to take 12 hours to get to Atlanta,” he said while waiting at Hartfield-Jackson International Airport on his way back to Illinois.

Some 80 million people are set to take to the roads, railways, skies and even cruise ships this week, each making trips of more than 50 miles from home between Tuesday and next Monday.

“This will be the busiest Thanksgiving ever in terms of air travel,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske said on X. “Fortunately, our staff is also at the highest level they’ve ever been. We’re ready.”

A later-than-usual Thanksgiving – the last Thursday this year falls on Nov. 28 – could mean more travel pressure next Monday and Tuesday as more people head home rather than extend their visit.

Many are heading south with both Orlando and Miami’s main airports each expecting 1.9 million travelers to pass through the 12-day travel period.

Weather problems affect festive plans

NBC meteorologist Michelle Grossman said two separate storm systems should bring bad weather to different parts of the country. On Monday and Tuesday, the Rockies and Cascades may face strong winds and snow, making mountain travel difficult.

On Wednesday, the storm will strengthen and expand as it moves east over the Plains, bringing a wintry mix of rain, snow and strong winds.

Thanksgiving Day will be a wet day for most of the East Coast, from New England down south, while northern states could be bitterly cold, reaching 26 degrees in Minnesota.

Already, 17,000 flights have been canceled or delayed due to severe weather across the country since Friday.

Best times to travel?

The vast majority of trips this Thanksgiving will be on the road, with 71.7 million car trips, surpassing last year’s figure by 1.3 million — helped in no small part by lower gas prices, which could reach a national average of $3 per gallon. gallon this week.

Data from the transport analysts INRIX shows that Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon will be the busiest times on the roads. But people may not realize that Thanksgiving Day itself is “typically ready.”

“We recommend (on) Tuesday and Wednesday to try to leave early in the morning, the afternoon hours are the worst,” Aixa Diaz, AAA spokeswoman, told NBC News.

“We always say that traveling on the holiday itself is the best day to travel, not only because if you fly it’s cheaper tickets, but also there are just less people on the roads and in the airports,” she said.