Air Travelers Give Thanks : Holiday Hassles at John Wayne Prove Minimal

Dreading pre-Thanksgiving airport hassles Wednesday, Jennifer Jones arrived at John Wayne Airport two hours early.

She was surprised by the lack of traffic at the airport entrance. But she was shocked when she quickly glided through the fast-moving ticketing line. She shook her head in disbelief when minutes later she completed her check-in and proceeded to the gate to await her flight to Dallas.

“I can’t believe it. I’m actually ready to go,” said the 18-year-old USC student who came to Orange County on Wednesday to escape the infamous Los Angeles holiday traffic quagmire. “I thought it would be so hectic, even here (in Orange County). That’s why I got here two hours early.”

Jones joined about 20,000 other passengers who passed through John Wayne Airport the day before Thanksgiving, one of the busiest travel days of the year. And most found the experience pleasantly hassle-free.

Airport officials expect much the same Sunday, which should be slightly busier because it falls at the end of the holiday period.

Last year, about the same number of passengers went through the airport the day before Thanksgiving, said spokeswoman Pat Ware. But because of the recent American Airlines strike, she said, the number of people who travel by air this week will probably not match the 90,000 travelers who passed through the airport between Tuesday and Sunday of Thanksgiving week a year ago.

“It’s very difficult to predict the number of travelers this year because of the complications” caused by the strike, Ware said. “But I would be very surprised if we match last year’s number.”

Some airport employees said Wednesday that the “holiday rush” has so far been steady at best.

“It hasn’t been busy busy,” said Alton Haywood, a 26-year-old skycap. “There hasn’t been any chaos. It’s definitely not as crowded as it was last year.”

Because of construction on MacArthur Boulevard in front of the airport, Ware suggested that travelers come early. She also urged motorists to use the airport’s southern entrance, on Campus Drive, instead of the main entrance, on MacArthur.

Long-term parking garages next to the Thomas F. Riley Terminal have been full this week, Ware said, so travelers should drive directly to the remote parking lot on Main Street, between MacArthur and Red Hill Avenue.

“Other than those few trouble spots,” said Ware, “I expect everything to operate smoothly.”

On Wednesday, most passengers going through John Wayne Airport said they were more than happy with the service, given that they had expected pandemonium. Outside the terminal, bags were checked in and out rapidly by about a dozen skycaps. At the check-in and ticket counters, the queues were moving quickly.

For many, the day before Thanksgiving at John Wayne Airport was a traveler’s dream.

“Everything has been going very, very well,” said Candy Motak, a visitor to Disneyland on her way back to Placerville, Calif. “From parking to returning the rental to ticket, everything has just flowed beautifully. I expected a nightmare. It didn’t come true.”

George Psomas appreciated the fact that no one had jostled him all morning. “They always do that at the airport on a busy day,” said the 75-year-old Woodland Hills man as he waited for his flight to San Francisco.

Psomas had been in Orange County visiting his children.

“You know what’s missing that I don’t miss?” he asked. “Crowds. I expected that there would be a lot of people, and there wasn’t. Isn’t that nice?”

Later Wednesday, airport crowds thinned even more, although a steady stream of cars arrived to pick up or deposit passengers. Inside the terminal there were short lines--if any--at ticket and car rental counters and few crowds at the baggage claim carousels.

“It’s been an average day,” said Renee Morales, an agent at National Car Rental. “It’s not too slow and not too busy.”