Sky Harbor bracing for busiest Memorial Day weekend in over a decade

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) -- Inflation and high ticket prices aren’t keeping people from traveling. TSA is already seeing an increase in travelers ahead of the Memorial Day weekend. Airline officials are only expecting that surge to ramp up on Thursday. “We have been preparing for this summer, since last year,” said Sophia Philis-Ortiz, VP of operations for American Airlines.

American Airlines is bracing for 130,000 customers on more than 1,000 flights departing from Phoenix. Philis-Ortiz said they have staffed up to deal with the surge. “We will have 17,600 more employees than we did in 2021, over our network of 130,000 employees ready to service customers,” said Philis-Ortiz.

AAA said this Memorial Day could be the busiest since 2005.

Copyright 2023 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.