Delta Holiday Tips Ease Travel Through Busy Airports
Holiday air travelers can take several steps to speed their trips at the nation's busy airports this year. Heavy crowds are expected over the Thanksgiving holiday, as usual, but Delta Air Lines' Vice President Lem Wimbish, who manages the world's largest hub operation at Hartsfield International Airport in Atlanta, offers 10 tips to make travel as easy as possible.
"Delta has more than 350,000 passengers booked on Atlanta flights over the five-day Thanksgiving weekend," said Wimbish. "On peak days during these holidays, we are approaching our daily seating capacity of about 114,000. With these numbers, it will help customers if they follow our 10 tips for holiday travel. These tips remind travelers of critical things they will need, like identification and tags on baggage, and also steps that can speed them through the airport process, such as electronic ticketing. They are applicable to all airports, no matter how large or small, served by Delta, Delta Express, Delta Shuttle and the Delta Connection carriers."
Wimbish and his staff manage Delta's high volume of Atlanta passenger traffic every day, orchestrating 653 flights from 80 Delta gates. With the largest single hub operation in the world, they want to be as efficient as possible, minimizing lines, delays and problems for customers.
"By following these simple tips, travel may go a bit smoother not only during the holidays, but every day of the year as well," Wimbish stated. "Take the advice from the people who work at one of the world's busiest airports. They know."
Delta carried more passengers worldwide last year than any other airline. Delta, Delta Express, the Delta Shuttle, the Delta Connection carriers and Delta's Worldwide Partners operate 5,340 flights each day to 361 cities in 62 countries.
Delta's Top 10 Tips for Hassle-free Holiday Travel
In the next several weeks, airports all across the country will be more crowded than ever with hundreds of thousands of people traveling for the holidays. To help our customers by-pass those often frustrating holiday crowds and make their way through the airports quicker and easier, Delta Air Lines' Lem Wimbish, head of the world's largest airline hub operation, offers these easy-to-follow travel tips:
1. Electronic Tickets? Use curb-side check-in. Delta's e-ticketed passengers with confirmed seat assignments enjoy even more convenience from new technology as they can check their baggage at curbside, receive their boarding cards and continue directly to their boarding gates.
2. Utilize public transportation going to the airport. Avoid the hassles of parking and congested airport lots by utilizing public (MARTA in Atlanta) or private transportation to get to the airport. Atlanta customers also have the added convenience of a Delta check-in facility right inside the MARTA airport station! This provides an attractive solution to the holiday parking challenge.
3. Parking. If you are planning to drive to the airport, it is a good idea to call your local airport and check parking availability. In Atlanta, please call parking customer service at 404-530-6725 and press 2.
4. Don't forget your I.D. All passengers over the age of 18 are required to provide positive identification for travel at check-in. The passenger must present a photo ID issued by a local/state/federal government agency or two forms of non-photo ID (one of which must have been issued by a local/state/federal government agency, such as a social security card). Also, if traveling outside the country, remember your visas and passports.
5. Make special travel requests at time of ticket reservation. Advise reservations agents of special travel requirements when purchasing your ticket to ensure your request is in the system. No more worrying about last-minute details!
6. Tag your bag. Please place identification (name and phone numbers) on all carry-on items and checked baggage, including strollers, wheelchairs, etc. -- don't wait until you arrive at the airport. It is also a good idea to place inside your bag a note including your name, address and a phone number where you can be reached at your home and destination.
7. Check your bags at the curb. You can bypass long lines at the ticket counter and go straight to the gate by checking your bags at the curb with Delta SkyCap representatives.
8. Don't be late to the gate. Travelers should arrive for check-in as early as 90 minutes before their domestic flights and 120 minutes before their international flights.
9. Bring only two small carry-on items onboard. Luggage pieces larger than 22"x14"x9" should be checked at the curb or ticket counter. Minimizing carry-on items will speed up the boarding process and give everyone more room to relax.
10. Messy weather? If you know there is inclement weather at your origin or destination city, it's a good idea to call Delta's travel information line at 1-800-325-1999 or check the Delta Web site at http://www.delta.com for up-to-the-minute arrival and departure information before leaving for the airport.
