LAX Officials Say Travelers Should Arrive Early For Memorial Day Weekend Flights
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — After months of Los Angeles International Airport looking like a ghost town, holiday crowds are back.
"We're seeing more travelers than we've seen in the last 14 months. We had over 75,000 people come through on Sunday alone to the TSA checkpoints, that's by far a record in 2021 for us," said LAX spokesperson Keith Montgomery.
Montgomery said travelers should arrive early, at least two hours ahead of their flight.
Parking garages are filling up and check-in and screening lines are growing.
"It feels like it's back to normal," said one passenger. "People are a little bit close to each other but it's OK. It seems like everyone feels comfortable."
Travelers are also urged to review the latest quarantine and other safety protocols for the airline and the areas they'll be visiting.
At LAX, travelers coming in from out of state are required to fill out an online form.
Face masks are also still required at all times at the airport and on flights, even for people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. They can be removed only when eating or drinking.
"Generally the airlines have been adding additional seats and additional flights for the summer because there is a boom in travel across the country right now," Montgomery said. "There's a lot of pent-up demand."
International travel is expected to be the last to get back to normal but one family at the airport was able to book a warm getaway to Mexico.
"I'm really excited," said traveler Bianca Oseguera. "We've been cooped up in our houses for so long that it's really fun to have an opportunity to finally get out."
