Commuters will get a respite as the majority of Snohomish County public school districts take a weeklong recess April 4-8 for spring break.
The only exceptions are the Monroe and Mukilteo school districts, which take their spring break April 11-15. (But if you locals think it will help you beat other vacationing families, you might want to consider that’s the same week Seattle School District takes its break.)
For those heading away, expect an uptick in congestion at travel hot spots — especially Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Sea-Tac is the fastest growing large airport in the United States with a 13 percent increase in travelers in 2015 compared to a year earlier. It was the fifth straight record-breaking year, and you have to go back to the days before email to find faster growth.
What does this mean?
Well, Anthony’s Restaurant, in the central terminal, is believed to be the highest grossing airport restaurant in North America with a little more than $14 million in sales for 2015.
But, more to our point, it means insane lines at security checkpoints, with waits of up to 2 hours that most definitely do not put one in a Bermuda shorts and sunglasses mood, thank you very much.
And that was February.
“We expect passenger volumes for spring break that will be at or even above numbers what are usually seen in peak summer months,” said Brian DeRoy, a spokesman for the airport.
Yikes. (Did I mention we’re taking a staycation this year?)
But there are plenty of tips for avoiding a vacation meltdown before vacation even starts.
“To avoid long lines and make it to their plane on time, we are urging customers traveling domestically to arrive two hours before their flight and international fliers to arrive three hours before their flight,” said Halley Knigge, an Alaska Airlines spokeswoman. “In addition, please consider using other security lanes, where lines may be shorter.”
Sea-Tac employs “Pathfinders” to help travelers find shorter lines and keep things moving.
“We are currently exploring many options to add additional staff to help with TSA checkpoint lines, so TSA agents could dedicate themselves to the checkpoints instead of non-checkpoint duties,” DeRoy added.
Other insider tips:
– The busiest times of day are 4-7 a.m., 9 a.m.-noon, and 4-6 p.m. The busiest days are Thursday, Friday and Sunday.
– Know what you can take in carry-on and what should be put in checked luggage or left at home.
– Print boarding passes ahead of time or use self-serve kiosks at ticketing.
– Empty liquids before you get into TSA lines.
– At security checkpoints, have your boarding pass and ID ready and remove laptops from their bags ahead of time.
– Joining TSA Pre-Check as a “Trusted Traveler” can get you through checkpoints faster. Family members ages 12 and younger can go through the line with a pre-checked parent.
More info
Transportation Security Administration, www.tsa.gov
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, www.portseattle.org/Sea-Tac
Have a question? Email us at streetsmarts@heraldnet.com. Please include your first and last name and city of residence. Look for updates on the Street Smarts blog.
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