Summer Travel Season Kicks Off at Charleston International Airport – Busy Memorial Day Weekend Travel

Summer Travel Season Kicks Off at Charleston International

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)- This Memorial Day weekend has seen record-breaking air travel numbers, with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening nearly 3 million people on Friday alone. This marks the highest single-day number in history, signaling the start of a busy summer travel season.

“It’s the unofficial start of summer and the kickoff of a bustling travel season,” said airport employee Amanda Grant. Grant, who works at the luggage check-in counter at Charleston International Airport, noted that it has been non-stop all day.

Despite the increased staff brought on to handle the holiday rush, some delays and cancellations have occurred on incoming and outgoing flights. These issues range from mechanical problems to weather-related disruptions in other parts of the country. The Federal Aviation Administration is aiming to address these inconveniences by implementing new rules this fall. These rules will require airlines to provide quick and automatic refunds to passengers for flight disruptions and make hidden fees more visible.

“It just clarifies things for consumers and for airlines,” said Wendy Burt, a visitor to Charleston.

While some travelers experienced disruptions in their itineraries, overall, Charleston International Airport has been praised for its handling of the busy holiday weekend.

“It was easy. I got off the plane and got a Lyft to Charleston, we stayed in a hotel that was right in the middle of everything, which was really nice,” said one passenger.

As the summer travel season continues, passengers are advised to stay informed about their flights and to anticipate potential delays or cancellations due to the high volume of travelers.