The day following Thanksgiving, when many folks returned home, was rather bittersweet. Following the holiday festivities, there were a lot of embraces, tears, and goodbyes outside the San Francisco International Airport from families.
Antonio Rojas, a college student returning to Cal State Northridge from Southern California, remarked, “I’m going to miss my family.”
“Nothing gets any simpler. Always difficult. We face difficulties. There will be tears, but not now “Erika Rojas, Antonio’s mother, spoke as she waved him off.
When Teria Ester, a South Bay healthcare worker, finally met her family this Thanksgiving, she claimed she cried only happy tears.
At the SFO baggage claim, Ester added, “I didn’t see them in 2020 or 2021 due of COVID, so that made the reunion that much sweeter. “It was wonderful to see my mother and brother when I just returned to Colorado Springs. Phenomenal! Too brief.”
Many tourists reported seeing an increase in the number of passengers.
“Flights were full, and both ways were fairly similar. It feels the most like normal we’ve experienced in a while “said Alyssa Tourville, a kindergarten teacher who had just visited family in Minnesota and was on her way back to San Jose.
Airports in the area reported brisk activity. Although it’s coming close, traffic was not quite at pre-pandemic levels for 2019, it was.
According to SFO officials, the Thursday before Thanksgiving week saw the most travelers at 131,400. The following day saw a small decline with roughly 131,000 passengers. In the day before Thanksgiving, SFO had about 122,000 passengers. Prior to the epidemic, according to officials, the biggest Thanksgiving travel days would see about 160,000 passengers.
The rigorous COVID regulations in China are partly to blame for the reduction, according to the officials.
Officials reported seeing about 38,000 travelers at the smaller Mineta San Jose International Airport on November 17 and about 41,500 the following day.
That is reportedly 20% below pre-pandemic levels.
KPIX was unable to obtain statistics for Oakland International Airport, but a representative claimed that Sunday was a busy day there. Some travelers reported that the early security check-in lines extended all the way to the edge of the structure.
Ester claimed that everything went well despite her crowded flights.
I’m afraid of flying, she acknowledged. Actually, the coming, going, and traveling were all quite smooth.
