After a hectic Christmas holiday weekend for airports, riddled with delays and cancellations caused by major winter weather, officials said air travel has returned to normal conditions as many metro Atlantans continue to return home in the new year.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, 42,000 flights are expected today, with a possibility of heavier volume for those traveling north. An estimated 44,000 flights are expected for Wednesday.
Compared to this time last year, the Transportation Security Administration has screened an additional 1.5 million travelers nationwide from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1.
Following a nationwide meltdown, Southwest Airlines says they are operating their normal schedule.
“We appreciate the dedicated work of the Southwest Team to restore our schedule, and we have experienced minimal disruptions for the weekend,” Southwest said in a statement to The Atlanta Journal Constitution. “We value the continued patience and support of our valued Customers, and we apologize for the inconveniences of the past week.”
A Delta Air Lines spokesperson said that the company’s Atlanta hub regularly sees upwards of 100,000 passengers daily, and this week’s numbers are in line with this figure. The airline expects a busy upcoming weekend and January, which will continue into the spring break season.
For those traveling to Los Angeles to watch the Georgia Bulldogs face the TCU Horned Frogs in the College Football National Championship on Monday, roundtrip flights to Los Angeles range from $155 on Spirit Airlines to a little over $2,100 on Delta . Based on a Ticketmaster search, tickets to the title game range from $595 to $10,000, excluding fees.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport officials expect operations to run smoothly as Georgians trek to the title game.
“We see on average 200,000 to 300,000 passengers a day,” said Andrew Gobeil, director of communications and public affairs for Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. “I would imagine that the schools and the airlines are making preparations. We collaborate and communicate with them at all times to make sure we are aware of any expected passenger forecasts.”
The Satisky family has squared away their travel plans for the upcoming game. Brian, class of 1991, his wife Shelly, class of 1994, and their children, Ally, class of 2022, and Jay, class of 2024, have a shared love for Bulldogs football.
“This is our common passion,” said Brian Satisky. “When we won the national championship, we all hugged and embraced and cried together.”
Some notable games that the four of them have attended include the 2018 Rose Bowl, the 2021 Orange Bowl and the 2022 National Championship game.
“I’m looking forward to sharing another great Georgia moment with my family,” he said. “My wife and I have been taking our kids to Georgia games since they were babies.”
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