RDU is packed as Thanksgiving travelers return home
RALEIGH DURHAM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (WTVD) -- On Sunday, Thanksgiving travelers hit the roads and the air in a rush to return home. Getting home proved to be a real challenge for millions of travelers as many complained of long lines at security points at some of our nation's busiest airports.
The worst was in the Chicago area. People at Midway complained of security lines, which they said, stretched for more than a mile. The Chicago Aviation Department said the worst of it was between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. when most people were flying.
In New York City, 200 passengers coming back from Spain found themselves in a scary situation. They were forced to evacuate their plane because of a bomb threat. Luckily, there were no explosives found on that American Airlines 767.
Weather also played a role in delays -- a thick layer of fog diverted dozens of flights to Denver's airport. Three of the airport's six runways were shut down and pilots were not able to land due to poor visibility.
Closer to home at RDU, there were some delays earlier in the day. Workers said they were ready, as they estimated more than 35,000 people would be coming through the airport.
By the time the early evening rush pushed through, many enjoyed a thankful lull in the very busy travel day.
"We just got here about 10 minutes ago and she's already through in line, not too bad today," said Joseph Tillery who was seeing family off to Daytona Beach.
For those flying to RDU from other areas though, it was a mixed bag of traveling experiences.
"Security was kind of slow," said Elizabeth Chmura, who flew in from Boston.
"The lines were pretty long, because of Thanksgiving," added traveler Matt Balzano.
Overall, travel experts anticipated more than 46 million Americans traveled over the long holiday weekend.
