STUDENT TRAVEL Hoyas’ Travel Plans Uncertain By Roxanne Tingir Hoya Staff Writer
Charles Nailen/The Hoya A plane approaches Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, flying over Healy Tower.
In response to the Sept. 11 attacks, Georgetown University students’ travel plans have changed due to heightened airline and railway security.
Airline traffic decreased by 34 percent in September, according to the Maryland Aviation Administration. Local airports, such as Baltimore/Washington International, only experienced a 25 percent decrease in the total number of commercial passengers.
“At BWI especially, traffic picked up very quickly,” aryland Aviation Administration employee Melanie Miller said. “Parking lot totals are the same now as they were before Sept. 11,” she said.
Washington Dulles International Airport is also operating near its regular schedule. However, the terrorist attacks have prompted many flight cancellations in the D.C. area, especially Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. As of Oct. 26, the federal government has approved only 26 destinations and 14 airlines to operate to and from National.
Flight cancellations and changes have translated into increased difficulty in making travel plans.
“The time for my flight home for Thanksgiving has been changed twice, and yesterday I received a notice that my flight time for Christmas has also been changed,” Jessica Neidhart (SFS ’05), who lives in Seattle said.
“Since I’m flying cross-country I have to take multiple flights and the connections have been getting messed up.”
National and Dulles airports report that due to security reasons passengers should arrive at least two to three hours in advance of their flights. Increased Federal Aviation Administration security measures require travelers to present a government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s license or a passport.
FAA officials are also advising that all travelers bring along only one carry-on bag, leave sharp objects such as pocket knives and scissors at home, confirm their flight information before arriving at the airport and make sure not to leave their bags unattended.
Despite such increased formalities, “People want the higher security, so they don’t mind it,” Miller said.
Nevertheless, fears about travel have prompted many to cancel their airline reservations. Amtrak has been flooded with travel requests and anticipates record-setting numbers for the Thanksgiving season.
“I was supposed to fly home this Thanksgiving, but my mother called me and said she wanted me to take the train,” aria Gaspar (COL ’05) said. She also said that upon attempting to reach Amtrak, she was put on hold for 20 minutes.
Amtrak has added over 40 trains to its Northeast Corridor fleet to accommodate increased demand during the Thanksgiving week. It will run an all-reserved schedule on trains from Washington to Boston.
“By running reserved trains, we better ensure the best possible experience for our guests as they travel with us during the busiest time of the year,” Lynn Bowersox, acting senior vice president for the Northeast Corridor said in a press release.
The majority of trains leaving New York en route to Boston on Tuesday and Wednesday of Thanksgiving week are already booked. The one available train on Wednesday leaves Union Station at 5:37 p.m. and arrives at Boston’s South Station at 1:30 a.m.
