Air travel expected to soar for Memorial Day weekend

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Air travel was really hit hard by the pandemic, but now we’re seeing it start to spring back to life.

Last year at this time, international travel was stopped and many flights were grounded.

Now, experts are estimating some two and a half million Americans will fly to their destinations this holiday weekend. In fact, some airline executives are saying that travel is almost back to pre-pandemic levels, which would be quite a rebound.

However, that’s not to say everything back to normal. There are still some restrictions for passengers, masking is the big thing. President Biden’s mask mandate means that anyone using public transit needs to wear a mask and that includes air travel.

But it’s not deterring travelers.

We spoke with a few people catching flights at Blue Grass Airport Friday morning who told us they were confident, they were excited, and they were happy that they could begin doing things that feel more normal.

“It feels really good to be able to get out and about and to see people traveling, going to see loved ones, and just be together again,” said Ginny Slone, traveler. “So, we’re really excited and not nervous at all.”

If you’re not flying to your destination this year, expect plenty of traffic on the roads as well. AAA is estimating 34 million Americans will drive to their holiday destination this week.

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