Prepare for travel delays over holiday, government warns

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- The U.S. Department of Transportation Friday advised air travelers to allow extra travel time over Thanksgiving. It noted that the worst flight delays during the period last year came on the Monday and Tuesday before the holiday and on the Monday afterward.

An analysis prepared by the department's Bureau of Transportation Statistics found the percentage of flights delayed for more than an hour during the Thanksgiving period last year peaked at 7.6 percent on Tuesday, November 23.

There were also significant delays on Monday, November 22, when 5.5 percent of flights were more than an hour late and on the following Monday, November 29, when the figure hit 4.3 percent.

"The information ... will help travelers understand past Thanksgiving travel patterns so they can properly prepare for this Thanksgiving," Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater said in a statement.

Traditionally, the Friday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after are the heaviest travel days of the period. And the DOT noted that previous flight delay patterns may not be repeated this year.

The analysis, which includes detailed breakdowns of last year's delays by airport and carrier, is available on the department's Web site at www.bts.gov/oai/holidaytravel/.

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Bureau of Transportation Statistics: Thanksgiving Travel Delays
U.S. Department of Transportation

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