Drop in Thanksgiving travel predicted

updated 5:50 p.m. ET Nov. 9, 2009

WASHINGTON - An airline industry trade group predicts that passenger traffic over the Thanksgiving holiday will drop 4 percent from last year.

The Air Transport Association made the forecast Monday despite deep discounting by airlines over the past several months.

"It is increasingly apparent that the economic head winds facing the airlines and their customers are anything but behind us," said James C. May, the group's president and CEO. He said the unemployment rate jumping above 10 percent last month has affected consumer buying decisions.

U.S. airlines have struggled this year with declining traffic during the recession. They cut fares for the peak summer vacation season and have eliminated many unprofitable flights to save money.

With fewer flights, planes are likely to be full over Thanksgiving, the trade group said. It called the capacity reductions the deepest since 1942.

The group said the four busiest travel days around Thanksgiving are expected to be Monday, Nov. 30; Sunday, Nov. 29; Friday, Nov. 20; and Wednesday, Nov. 25, the day before the holiday.

The group said passengers should pack light, check the status of their flight before going to the airport, and get to the airport early.

MORE FROM NEWS

News Section Front

U.K. court: British Airways can bar strike EU signs airline deal with Canada AAA says holiday travel to rise this year   Travel industry gearing up for return to Cuba Flight attendant’s call caught pilots unaware The decade in travel: Technology and terrorism 17 dead in tourist bus crash in South Korea British Airways crew to strike over Christmas Airline blames Buffalo crash on pilot error Antarctic nations to toughen shipping controls News Section Front   Add News headlines to your news reader: