Nov 21, 2008 3:49 pm US/Central
2.5 M Thanksgiving Travelers Expected At Airports
CHICAGO (Sun-Times Media Wire) ―
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Travelers wait on line in the terminal to fly at LaGuardia Airport December 21, 2007 in the Queens borough of New York City.
Mario Tama/Getty Images
City aviation officials are gearing up for the more than 2.5 million travelers who are expected to use Chicago airports for the extended Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
More than 2.5 million people will move through O'Hare and Midway airports beginning Friday through Monday, Dec. 1, according to a Department of Aviation release.
O'Hare's busiest travel day will be Sunday, Nov. 30, with nearly 223,000 passengers expected, and Midway's busiest travel day should be Tuesday, Nov. 25, with more than 64,000 expected, according to the department.
Travelers at both airports can experience live musical entertainment in the terminals featuring holiday-themed jazz, classical, blues and international selections on Wednesday, Nov. 26, from 2 to 5 p.m.
Later on Nov. 26, the Radio City Rockettes will kick off the season with an appearance at O'Hare.
"The Department of Aviation and all of our partners are working diligently to ensure a safe and enjoyable travel experience at O'Hare and Midway," Aviation Commissioner Richard Rodriguez said in the release. "We will continue our commitment to provide first-class services and amenities, while creating a festive atmosphere for holiday travelers."
Several new restaurants and shops have recently opened at O'Hare, including city favorites such as Garrett Popcorn, Nuts on Clark, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and The Grove, the release said.
Over the Thanksgiving holiday, United Service Organizations (USO) volunteers will provide goodie bags filled with snacks, bottled water and informational pamphlets to military personnel at welcome stations located just beyond security at O'Hare, the release said.
The USO operates facilities at O'Hare and Midway to provide servicemen and women, and their families with a place to relax, enjoy a meal, check e-mail, phone home and re-adjust to life before returning home or being deployed, according to the release.
The Chicago Airport System's cell phone parking lots enable motorists to temporarily park free of charge until friends, family members or business associates have deplaned, collected baggage and are ready to be picked up curbside, the release said.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is opening "Family Lanes" at each security checkpoint at O'Hare this holiday season to provide a better screening experience for families and individuals with medically necessary liquids. These lanes allow families, individuals unfamiliar with air travel procedures, and travelers with special needs to go through security at their own pace, according to the release.
At Midway, the TSA operates its "Diamond Self-Select" program, featuring separate lanes for Expert, Casual and Family travelers.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2009. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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