COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Thanksgiving weekend is coming to an end, and all those who traveled last week now need to get back home.
“I’m happy but surprised because I thought it would be really crazy right now, but we’re in and out; checked in bags and everything’s good,” said Larry Wean, an Orange County, California, resident who was traveling out of John Glenn International Airport Sunday. “Our connection was smooth, all the flights were on time, everything worked great.”
Wean and other travelers are relieved it didn’t take them too long to check in at John Glenn.
AAA expected more than 50 million Americans would be flying or hitting the roads this holiday weekend. According to the Columbus Regional Airport Authority, a record 216,000 Ohioans were planning to fly this Thanksgiving.
Based on the board at John Glenn Sunday afternoon, there didn’t seem to be any major delays.
One traveler had no issues with his travels this weekend, while another wasn’t so lucky; her flight in Columbus was delayed and it was going to cause her to miss her connecting flight, so she’s now leaving Monday.
“Went real good,” said Ray Hallman, who was returning to Columbus. “Of course, you know, Atlanta is a little more congested. You got to get on the train between the gates and what have you. Here is absolutely great.”
“Well, you sit there, and then you’re on the plane, and they say, ‘We’re going to be a half-hour,’ and then they say, ‘No, now we’re going to deboard because we’re going to be an hour,'” said Rhode Island resident Jeanne Ebaugh.
Ebaugh spent the holiday in central Ohio and was trying to make her way back home to Rhode Island Sunday.
“It’s another adventure for me, and no, it’s fine, it really is fine, and eventually I’ll get back to Middletown and life will be all good again, so…,” said Rhode Island resident Jeanne Ebaugh. “Fine, honest to God, only because I look at other people who are traveling and they have babies and they have dogs and they’re also trying to get back to Providence, so it’s just me, so I don’t care.”
According to the Ohio Department of Transportation, drivers also faced few bumps in the road this weekend.
“Our roads have been really busy across the state,” said ODOT Press Secretary Matt Bruning. “We have had a few minor fender benders and crashes that have caused some lane closures, but nothing that has shut down an entire interstate.”