HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) – Spring break is approaching for many North Alabama school districts meaning the airport is preparing for an increase in travelers.
Madison City, Madison County, and Huntsville City Schools, among many others, will be on spring break for the week of March 14th.
On Tuesday, TSA had twice as many travelers cross through checkpoints as they did on March 8, 2021, with 1.6 million people. That was 400,000 less travelers than prior to the pandemic in 2019.
Like many airports, Huntsville International spokesperson, Mary Swanstrom, told News 19 the airport continues to inch closer to pre-pandemic passenger levels.
“We’re of course much higher than this time last year, but still recovering as far as travel goes,” Swanstrom shared with News 19. “Leisure travel does extremely well out of Huntsville as our fairs are neck and neck with Birmingham.”
So, the airport is prepared for an influx of spring break travelers. HSV expects the increase in travelers to continue into the summer months as college students return home from school in April and May and for leisure travel in the summer months.
Swanstrom advises spring break travelers to arrive at the airport earlier than they have if they flew throughout the pandemic. “Because of increased traveler volume and more people trying to get though the door and onto their flight, we recommend everyone please try to arrive 90 minutes, that’s an hour and a half ahead of time, at the minimum,” Swanstrom said.
Huntsville International is still seeing more travelers bring firearms through TSA. They reiterate to all passengers that in order to bring a firearm on your trip, it must be unloaded and properly stored in your checked baggage.
As of now, TSA is still requiring masks in both the airport and on all flights. But, the current requirement is set to life on March 18th. As of now, there is no word on whether or not TSA will extend the requirement.
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