Travelers Return Home From Thanksgiving Trips

Sunday, November 25th 2007, 5:16 pm

By: News On 6

For folks coming home after the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, it appears there were many happy returns. Thousands returned home on Sunday after spending Thanksgiving holiday weekend with family and friends. The News On 6â€™s Chris Wright reports many found it to be a smooth trip.

According to the experts, Thanksgiving travel this year was supposed to be even worse than usual. But many travelers we spoke to say instead of a nightmare, their trip was a pleasant surprise. At Tulsa International Airport, weary Thanksgiving travelers returned home after four days away. A steady stream of them made their way from the terminal, picked up their luggage from baggage claim, and then crossed the street to find their cars. Surprisingly, few seemed stressed out by the experience.

Many travelers say from the check in, to the flight itself, to picking up luggage, their trips went much smoother than anticipated.

"I thought it was going to be busy, but it turned out to be good. So, I was happy,â€ said Bryan Payne of Tulsa.

"It really wasn't too bad, as far as the wait for anything; I thought it went pretty easily,â€ added ORU student David Snuffer.

There were also few reports of problems on Green Country highways. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol in Vinita says things moved smoothly as travelers returned to Tulsa via I-244 Sunday afternoon.

The stress-free travel seemed to be a national trend. The FAA says the favorable weather helped, and as a result, there were few delays at the country's major airports. Lines moved smoothly at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. There were also few problems reported at Logan Airport in Boston, and Detroit Metro in Michigan. No major hiccups at the major airports meant fewer problems in Tulsa, and that translated to travelers who were willing to spread holiday cheer.

"Usually at this time people are finished being thankful, and they kind of want to be grumpy. It's nice to see people smiling, coming and going,â€ said Diane Camp of Tulsa.

AAA said proper preparation by travelers may have helped ease congestion. The travel club believes most people knew what to expect on the roads and in the airports, and they planned accordingly.

Watch the video: Returning Home From Thanksgiving