Low Airfares Drive July 4 Holiday Travel Surge Airlines Urge Customers to Be Prepared When Flying over the Long Weekend

TSA and Airlines Putting Extra Resources to Address Security Wait
Times; A4A Encourages Passengers to Allow Plenty of Time for Security
and Leave the Fireworks at Home

WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Airlines
for America
, the industry trade organization for the leading U.S.
airlines
, has projected
summer 2016 passenger volumes to exceed last year’s all-time high by 4
percent – that’s about 2.5 million fliers daily between June 1-August 31
.
Those numbers are tracking as expected so far this summer. As we look
ahead to the busy July 4 holiday, Friday, July 1 looks to be the busiest
day of the weekend with 2.4 million fliers, according to the
Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

The nation’s carriers have worked in strong collaboration with airports
and the TSA to ensure that the busy summer travel season goes smoothly
for our passengers. We continue to be in regular communication with our
partners, sharing information about passenger volumes and discussing
ways to optimize staffing and resources at the nation’s busiest airports.

Airlines want the travel experience to be as pleasant as possible for
our passengers. So we have stepped up to hire contractors and re-assign
our employees so that they can help TSA with non-security functions,
such as restocking bins, helping move bags to secondary screening and
reminding passengers who are waiting in line of the proper procedures to
follow as they get screened.

Amid competitive pressures, domestic airfare continued to drop six
percent so far this year, according to A4A’s analysis of data provided
by member carriers. When we look back through 20 years of DOT’s
data on domestic fares
, the savings to consumers is even greater, an
18 percent cost savings between Q4 2015 and Q4 1995.

To make your travel as easy as possible, A4A offers the following tips:

1. Arrive at the airport early. It’s not fun to rush to
your gate, so give yourself plenty of time for unexpected traffic,
parking and getting through the TSA line. Before leaving for the
airport, go to the Twitter hashtag #iHateTheWait
and check to see if your fellow travelers are sharing information about
unusually long lines at your airport. Also, check out MyTSA,
an app from the TSA that provides close to real-time wait times for many
of the major airports. Once you’re at the TSA line, help other travelers
by going to www.ihatethewait.com
and sharing a photo along with your airport code.

2. If you don’t have TSA Pre✓®, go to the regular security line and follow
these simple rules
: Make sure all of your liquids, gels and
aerosols are less than 3.4 ounces and fit in a quart size, clear plastic
bag. Remove liquids from your carry-on and put them in the bin; empty
your pockets and remove bulky jewelry; remove your shoes and put them
through the x-ray machine; and remove laptops and large electronics and
put them alone in a bin. Always make sure to collect all of your
belongings before you leave the screening area.

3. If you have TSA Pre✓®, follow the rules specific to TSA Pre✓®.
After you receive PreCheck status, make note of your Known Traveler
Number (KTN) and correctly
apply it to any reservations you have. Also make sure to go to the
designated TSA Pre✓® lines and remember those
with TSA Pre✓® don’t need to remove shoes, laptops, 3-1-1 liquids, belts
or light jackets
when going through screening.

4. Be aware of weather conditions across the country. Just
because it’s sunny in your departure city doesn’t mean it’s that way
everywhere else. Weather delays in one area can have a ripple effect
across the whole system, so be sure to keep an eye on summertime
thunderstorms popping up around the country. Apps like Flight
Aware
and Flight
View
are great resources to staying up-to-date on current
conditions. Remember: Your crew’s first priority is your safety and they
are doing everything they can to get you to your final destination as
quickly as possible.

5. Don’t fly with fireworks. It might be tempting to take
some of the festive Fourth of July spirit with you, but fireworks
are not allowed in carry-on or checked luggage. Because of their highly
flammable nature and varying laws concerning fireworks in individual
states, it’s best to keep your fireworks at home.

These easy travel tips will help make your busy holiday weekend go as
smoothly as possible. Whether you’re on the way to a relaxing beach
getaway, a family reunion or taking in the festivities from our Nation’s
Capital, we encourage you to sit back, relax and enjoy the flight.

ABOUT A4A

Annually, commercial aviation helps drive nearly $1.5 trillion in U.S.
economic activity and more than 11 million U.S. jobs. Airlines for
America (A4A) vigorously advocates on behalf of the American airline
industry as a model of safety, customer service and environmental
responsibility and as the indispensable network that drives our nation’s
economy and global competitiveness.

America needs a cohesive National Airline Policy that will support the
integral role the nation’s airlines play in connecting people and goods
globally, spur the nation’s economic growth and create more high-paying
jobs. A4A works collaboratively with the airlines, labor groups,
Congress and the Administration to improve air travel for everyone.

For more information about the airline industry, visit our website airlines.org and
our blog, A Better Flight Plan, at airlines.org/blog.
Follow
us on Twitter: @airlinesdotorg.
Like
us on Facebook: facebook.com/AirlinesforAmerica.
Join
us on Instagram: instagram.com/AirlinesforAmerica.

To learn how you can support a National Airline Policy, a better flight
plan for everyone, visit www.nationalairlinepolicy.com.

Contacts

Airlines for America
Media Relations
mediarelations@airlines.org
or
Penny
Kozakos
Vice President, Communications
pkozakos@airlines.org
or
Jean
Medina
Senior Vice President, Communications
jmedina@airlines.org

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