Westchester County Airport is expecting large crowds over the coming days, as Friday marks the beginning of peak Thanksgiving travel season.
This year the airport added nine new destinations.
Inside the ramp control room at the airport, it is the calm before the storm, and ramp controller Rob McGowan does his best to minimize delays and cancellations as Friday begins peak Thanksgiving travel.
David Dominguez and his two sons just flew in from Kansas City and took steps to ensure a smooth trip.
"Left early. We left about two hours early. We packed the night before to make sure everything was right," Dominguez says.
Arriving two hours early is recommended, even at the small airport which is expecting to see up to 3,800 departing passengers this holiday travel season.
"Our crowded times are between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. and around 5 p.m. in the afternoon," says airport manager April Gasparri. She says during those peak travel times there will be an increase in staff who will do a screen-by-flight operation.
"Where our airport operations folks count who is boarding by the next scheduled departure and pull people out of that departure queue to TSA checkpoint, so we ensure there are no missed flights," Gasparri explains.
The TSA is also offering some tips for travelers:
-Pack smart. Be aware of what can go in carry-on or checked bags.
-Do not bring firearms or other weapons to the checkpoints.
-Bring an acceptable ID.
It is also not recommended to transport a dish of pie while traveling because there are some dishes one cannot carry on through TSA.