The turkey might be off the table, the stuffing has been all stuffed into bellies and the pumpkin pie plate is likely bare.Thanksgiving is over, but there’s still time to give thanks, and be grateful that we’re not standing in an airport security line that’s a literal mile long.
That was the fate looming ahead of many travelers yesterday morning at Chicago’s Midway Airport, where the line to get through security was reportedly close to a mile long — some say a little more than a mile, others a little less.
But what’s clear is that travelers were a bit shocked to see such a sight, as reported by the Chicago Sun Times and seen in multiple posts on Twitter, with travelers yesterday morning understandably worried about not getting through that seemingly endless snake of people.
One traveler who arrived an hour before her 9:50 a.m. flight said she can usually get through security in around 20 minutes, and was definitely not expecting to see the mile-long line.
“The line continued all the way through the airport to the CTA Orange Line that goes to and from Midway,” she said. “I was very nervous about missing my flight.” (Spoiler alert: She didn’t miss it)
It’s not that surprising that a bunch of people would be at the airport on the Sunday after Thanksgiving — it is the busiest day of the Thanksgiving travel rush, officials said. So be warned for the future, people who hate waiting.
“This happens sometimes,” Chicago Aviation Department spokeswoman Karen Pride told the Sun Times. “There was a period of time earlier this morning, between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m., that lines were long because that is when most people are traveling for the holiday period.”
She said the lines were cleared by 9:15 a.m., though the evidence on social media still showed quite a lengthy queue of people later than that.
If this doesn’t push you to show up early for your holiday flights, I don’t know what will. I’m probably going to camp out a day ahead of time, at this rate.
Security line at Midway Airport Sunday morning was reportedly a mile long [Chicago Sun Times]
by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist