Officials Tell Tulsans To ‘Pack Your Patience’ For Safe Travels In Pandemic

Airport and road officials said airport and road travel is expected to rise heading into the holiday weekend after several months of low volume due to the coronavirus pandemic.

They said it will still be historically lower than in years past but overall, likely the highest numbers since early March.

Mark Medeja with Triple AAA said they are seeing road trip planning skyrocket and far less air travel than in years past.

“Travel overall is down 15% from last year but road trips are way up since it’s the safest way for people to travel at this time,” Medeja said.

Alexis Higgins, CEO of Tulsa International Airport, said the terminals have been almost completely empty since March. However, this weekend they are expecting a packed house, even though there will still be less people than in years past.

“When you’re looking at last year compared to today its 25% of the activity from what we saw last year so it’s still significantly down,” Higgins said.

Officials said if you are planning on travelling during the July 4th holiday weekend, you should pack your patience and plan accordingly to make sure you stay healthy. They said just because you are going out of town again doesn’t mean you should leave your precautions at home.

“Almost 700 million road trips will be taken this summer, the roads will be crowded, you need to pack your patience,” Madeja said. “Cars have been sitting idle for a long time, make sure the vehicle you’re using is ready to go, the last thing you want is trouble on a vacation.”

Airlines are requiring masks on board along with other safety measures to keep you safe.

“Many of the airlines are reserving seats so they aren’t full by any means, but it will be busier probably the busiest since early March,” Higgins said. “You are required to wear a mask on the flight, so you might as well just have your mask out and ready to go in the airport.”

Medeja is also reminding drivers to plan carefully and know your options while out on the road.

“I really encourage people to do their homework before you get on the road, know what’s open, what places need a reservation, things like that,” Madeja said.

The travel experts ask you to remember to constantly wash and sanitize your hands, wear a mask, and social distance while standing in lines whether you’re flying or driving.