Pack A Little Patience if You Plan To Travel For Christmas

BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – The American Airlines glitch may have delayed some flights around the nation, but it didn’t significantly impact travelers at ECP on Christmas Eve.

The parking lot was packed at ECP as Bay County residents traveled to be with family. But as many people left our area, an equal amount of travelers flew in.

Based on previous years, ECP officials predicted heavy foot traffic for Christmas. So they opened the overflow lot, increased shuttle service, and ensured everything was stocked to handle the large crowds.

One woman says landing in Panama City Beach was a breath of fresh air after hustling to make it to her flight.

“Going through checking in and security, there was a lot of the people traveling with me on the same flight,” a passenger from Memphis, TN said. “I guess we all had the same idea.” She continued, “We got there like an hour and a half early, we stood in line for about 30 minutes. By the time we made it through security we were hearing the last call for our flights, so we had to jog and make it to our gate in time. But it was okay it wasn’t too bad.”

ECP officials said this year has been slow compared to years prior. But they are expecting to see larger crowds in the days after Christmas. So airport officials are asking that you pack your patience while traveling home.

Copyright 2024 WJHG. All rights reserved.