SEATAC Airport with Mt. Rainier in background Photo Courtesy of Port Of Seattle ©Don Wilson
Related Articles
Yesterday afternoon officials at SEATAC airport received the anticipated numbers for the holiday traffic coming through the airport. In speaking with Perry Cooper, Airport Media Officer, he reported that the numbers for the Thanksgiving holiday are in line with last year’s statistics. The busiest day of the holiday will be on November 29th, Sunday with an estimated 94,000 passengers passing through the facility. The next busiest days will be Wednesday, November 25th and Monday, November 30th, estimated at 92,000 passengers each day. While the airport will increase the number of personnel to assist passengers, in the stores, security checkpoints and customer service representatives, the airport is more than ready to cope with the numbers of people passing through it.
Important to note, the busiest day of the year in 2009 to date, was June 19th with 111,000 passengers moving through the facility. The airport capably handled the increased number of passengers through the summer with relative ease. The average number of passengers through the summer measured at 97,000 per day.
Cooper also noted that airport traffic is expected to be down between -2% to -4% as an average which is in line with the decrease in passengers for year-to-date through October 2009 at -3.9%. When asked to comment to the Orbitz Insider report that SEATAC airport will rank as the number 10 busiest airport in the US during the upcoming holidays, Cooper declined to have an opinion. He did state that Orbitz seemed to be projecting that based on the number of bookings within their own system, not on official airport numbers. He felt that what makes an airport really busy is when the facility is a hub for connecting to other destinations. SEATAC has 72% of its flights either originating or are the end destination for travelers.
It was acknowledged that the passengers moving through the airport during holidays can frequently be people who do not fly as often as the everyday business person and frequent traveler. For that reason, the increased number of customer service personnel should help ease the frustration of the regular traveler with the less experienced person holding up the flow of the boarding process. Here are some tips you can read for helping make the airport experience more palatable.
SEATAC Airport
Tips on travel insurance purchase
Tips to make getting through the airport easier
Contact Carlanne via email: travelindustryexaminer@gmail.com
To receive travel news and deals in your email inbox, go to the top of this article and click the “Subscribe” button next to the picture and enter your email address. Your email address will not be shared. To make this a favorite, click the "Fav" button at the top next to the picture of Seattle Travel Industry Examiner, Carlanne.
Comments
there are supposed to be less flyers this year than last.
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!