Travel rush begins for 4th of July weekend

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) – With many people returning home after the 4th of July this holiday weekend, the TSA says they’re expecting long security lines and to screen as many as 3 million fliers on Sunday alone.

The travel rush could start Friday now that the holiday is over.

The team at the airport recommends getting here two hours before your flight to give yourself plenty of time to get parked, check any bags you might have, and make it through security.

That advice also applies if you’re going to be heading back into the Savannah airport.

Some travelers say that it’s been busy while flying the last several days but not unmanageable.

“I guess it was crowded. Coming, when we arrived LAX. But leaving, it was smooth.”

“It seemed busy but not crowded. Although they did run out of food at the restaurants last night. But that was okay. I was late.”

The thing about flying in and out of Savannah, is a lot of the time we’re catching connecting flights or relying on a plane coming out of a hub so if a flight is delayed or cancelled somewhere else, there’s a sort of chain reaction that can trickle down here.

You’ll want to download the app of whatever airline you’re flying with to keep up to date on cancellations or delays.

If delays interfere with a connection, or if they’re cancelled, you’re going to want to get in touch with your airline to get rebooked or refunded.

Still, the process can be frustrating like for one gentleman who missed out on an on-the-road job.

“Last night was horrible. They kept delaying my plane, my connector would’ve been too late, so I missed my connector. So I went home, they gave me another flight for today. I couldn’t contact my employer, and I finally contacted him on the plane and he said ‘Don’t come’ because I missed the window so I got to come home.”

There will be new federal regulations going into effect on October 28th that require prompt, cash refunds to travelers whose flights are canceled or significantly delayed.

The US Department of Transportation has a list of exactly what you’re entitled to in the event of a controllable delay or cancellation, based on what airline you’re flying.

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