Thanksgiving Travel Advisory from Transport Secretary Duffy
Transport Secretary Sean Duffy has called on travelers to show more politeness and dress appropriately during what is expected to be the busiest Thanksgiving travel season ever—one that’s likely to test everyone’s patience.
Following a civility initiative introduced by the Department for Transport last week, Duffy expressed concerns over unruly behavior, specifically passengers who remove their shoes and place bare feet on seats. He emphasized the need for greater “awareness and civility” among the public.
“We’ve probably noticed… a decline in civility in the air,” Duffy mentioned at a news conference on Monday. “You can’t really legislate that, right? It can’t be mandatory.”
He also encouraged passengers to assist others with heavy luggage and suggested that people listen to their “better angels.”
Duffy recommended against wearing pajamas or slippers at the airport, urging travelers to be more considerate. “If you see someone struggling with their bag, and you’re capable, just stand up and help them out,” he advised.
Despite previous worries linked to air traffic controller conflicts and staff shortages during the recent 43-day government shutdown, Duffy reassured that airports would have “robust” staffing to maintain air safety.
“This will be the busiest Thanksgiving ever for air travel,” Duffy stated, adding that an estimated 31 million passengers are expected this week.
He remarked on the increase from earlier predictions made by the FAA, which had anticipated the busiest travel season since 2010.
Just weeks ago, Duffy and the FAA announced a plan to reduce flights by 4% at several major airports due to staffing shortages. Following the reopening of the government, air traffic controllers received a $10,000 bonus for not missing shifts during the shutdown.
Although there were concerns about a spike in retirements among air traffic controllers during the shutdown, Duffy indicated that Thanksgiving flights would remain unaffected. “Filing retirement papers isn’t the same as quitting your job,” FAA Administrator Brian Bedford clarified, assuring that enough personnel will be available for holiday travel.
According to AAA, about 73 million Americans are likely to drive for Thanksgiving, leading to expected traffic congestion.
“We anticipate peak travel times on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday afternoons this week,” Duffy noted. He also pointed out that gasoline prices are quite high, averaging around $3.02 per gallon.
