SALT LAKE CITY — Hours before air traffic reductions are scheduled to take effect across the country, many travelers inside the Salt Lake City International Airport were getting ready to jet off to distant destinations. While passengers shared how it had been calm on Thursday, they’re nervous about what the next few days could bring.
“We knew that things were potentially going to get a little bit chaotic, so we decided to get to the airport much earlier than needed,” said Mike McCann.
Salt Lake City International Airport
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McCann and Brittany Mohammed had flown in from San Francisco to participate in a big southern Utah event this weekend.
“We’re running the Moab Trail Marathon, so canceling wasn’t really an option,” explained Mohammed.
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With their trip planned well in advance, Mike and Brittany arrived at the airport three hours early this morning, but even then, some fellow passengers had them beat. Cindy and Keith Ogden arrived four hours ahead of their flight back to Cleveland.
“Well, it made us worried that things weren’t going to work out for us, so we are really a little concerned and wanted to get back to Ohio," said Keith.
Hundreds of flight delays and cancellations have already been reported across the country on Friday. With Salt Lake City on the list of major airports facing reductions, passengers are eager to board their flight before things change.
Travel experts shared that it would be good for those flying to give yourself some extra time and to keep flight information handy.
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“Check with your airline often, changes are coming almost hourly, so check before you go to the airport and pack your patience at the airport," advised Laura Murdoch with Morris Columbus Travel.
Travelers should also look into extra protection before a flight is canceled.
“I’m an advocate for travel insurance," said Trent Hendrickson, owner of Velocity Tourish and Travel. "Early in my career, I looked at it as a waste of money. What could happen to me? Now 27 years later, I’ve seen many examples as to why you do need travel insurance.”
As passengers grabbed their boarding passes and headed through security on Thursday, they remained unsure of what awaited at the gate.
“It’s a multi-city trip that we’re doing, so we’re going to Boston after this, then back to San Francisco," explained McCann. "So we are a little bit concerned because we have two more flights after the changes."