It’s the most wonderful time of the year and certainly the busiest.

Friday marks the busiest day to fly nationwide, with nearly 2.9 million people expected to hit the skies ahead of Christmas Day, according to Airlines for America.

As of 10 a.m. Friday, there are more than 80 flights delayed at Boston’s Logan International Airport, Flight Aware reports.

Travel nightmares are expected for New England passengers due to Friday’s severe storm. Strong gusts are expected to slam the region as high wind warnings, flood watches and coastal flood advisories were issued for several New England areas.

Influx of Passengers at Logan Airport for Christmas

Dec. 21 is expected to be the busiest day for air travel ahead of Christmas Day, but a massive storm expected to hit New England could make for travel nightmares.

(Published Friday, Dec. 21, 2018)

On Thursday, more than 7,000 flights were delayed at airports across the country, especially in the south.

To accommodate potential delays and cancelations, passengers are encouraged to give themselves extra time to get to the airports.

Airlines for America estimates 45.7 million passengers will travel on U.S. airlines from Dec. 20 through Jan. 6.

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HIGHFILL, Ark. —

TSA project 41 million flyers will pass through security this holiday season. Some of them from Northwest Arkansas Regional and Forth Smith.

If your goal is a timely transition from airport parking to security to getting on your flight, there are a few things you can do to get home for the holidays smoothly. Starting with airport arrival, assuming you’re parking for at least 24 hours, be prepared to pay anywhere between $6 and $24 per day.

“If you’re worried about the weather when you are out of town please use the deck,” said Kelley Johnson, XNA Airport Director. “But we have all price points. We have economy, if you don’t mind a little bit of a walk. We’ve got long term, which is closer to the building – short term which is right at our front door, which is the most expensive option. Then we have valet – if you want to valet your car”

Once at security, many of us know to take off our shoes and take out our laptops. But be ready to also remove any food items as well.

“If you’re taking something to your relatives for instance, your favorite fruitcake, be prepared to take that out of your bag. If it’s something you’re not real sure about from a checked baggage perspective or going through the check point. If it’s a gift and it’s wrapped, it may have to be unwrapped so think about that as well,” said Johnson

What you wear may set off the alarms too. So avoid sequins or outfits with large buttons. In other words when it comes to TSA – bling is bad.

If you’re travel partner happens to be your furry friend. Make sure you check with the airline you are flying. Different airlines have different protocols when it comes to pets on planes. For instance, Delta just installed new restrictions by animal age and for certain service and emotional support animals.

“Certain registrations, certifications are required – letters from your veterinarian,” said Johnson. “But do check before you get to the airport. There is nothing worse than having to cancel your trip because you can’t take your pet along that you intended to bring.”

Of course, whether your flying out of Northwest Regional or Fort Smith – get to the airport early to avoid rushing. At least an hour in advance is the advice.

Both airport websites are a one stop shop for everything you need to know for your trip – including flight information.

Just go to http://www.flyxna.com/ or https://flyfsm.com/

AlertMe

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) — Millions of people are flying home for the Christmas holiday, but a severe storm across the east coast is expected to create headaches for travelers all over the country.

None of the outgoing flights at the Capital Region International Airport were cancelled, although one United flight to Chicago-O’Hare did see about a 30-minute delay Friday evening. Flights were also delayed in other parts of the state because of that heavy rain in the northeast.

A mix of heavy rain and strong winds are expected to cause delays all along the east coast, including at airports with a lot of foot traffic such as Washington DC, Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston.

Arriving flights from New York City were delayed in Flint, Grand Rapids and Detroit

In case your flight gets delayed download your airlines app so you can get the most up-to-date information and pack your charger or laptop on your carry-on so you won’t be bored while waiting in the terminal.

For better or worse (it’s mostly worse, if we’re being honest), here’s what air travel will look like in the New Year.

When it comes to flying the number of procedures, regulations, classes, rules, and styles can be labyrinthine, obscure (Is there a difference between Preferred and Premium?), and ever-changing. Oh, and did we mention that they can be totally different depending on your carrier? But there are some changes coming to air travel that, as you line up your plans for 2019, you can already plan for.

By now, though the labeling depends on the carrier, such distinctions as Basic Economy and Economy Plus are pretty well understood by even not-so-frequent fliers. Though the specifics differ from airline to airline, it generally means that paying for whatever the step above “Basic Economy” is entitles you to some kind of perk (like more leg room) or basic features that have been reframed as perks (like being allowed a carry-on bag in addition to your “personal item”). Now more airlines will be taking things a step further by rolling out their version of “Preferred Economy.” That is, charging customers (sometimes exorbitant) fees for the privilege of choosing a seat that’s been determined to be preferred—usually, this means aisle and window seats but may also include middle seats near the front of the cabin.

If you have a tight connection it’s handy to be near the front so you can disembark faster, but there are no other material benefits. No extra legroom, no free drinks. As of December 14, United joined American and Delta as the latest airline to implement Preferred Seating. And while not all airlines have preferred seating it’s easy to see other carriers following the lead of the big three.

Let’s just hope that making you wait for a cup of water to melt isn’t the next idea the legacy carriers take from budget airlines.

Starting January 23, Delta will be changing its “Zone” boarding process. Though the new procedure will have two additional groups (up from 6 to 8) Delta said that the new process was smoother because fewer people were lining up at the gate. The new order will be pre-boarding, Delta One, Delta Premium Select/First Class, Comfort Plus, Sky Priority, Main Cabin 1, Main Cabin 2, Main Cabin 4, and Basic Economy.

The breaking up of the Premium cabin from one group into two makes a logical sense—the Delta One Suites being more luxurious than mere regular first class. But it’s the realigning of the Sky Priority boarding zone that’s sure to stir up controversy. With the new boarding procedure, Comfort Plus passengers will board ahead of frequent fliers. Platinum and Gold Medallion level members are unlikely to appreciate their loyalty going unrewarded.

If you’ve ever found yourself thinking about how much better air travel would be if it was more like Minority Report you’re in luck (as well as terrifyingly prescient). Biometrics technology is slowly but surely finding its way into airports around the world. Using a camera-based system, passengers simply scan their faces and then go ahead with boarding. The system is so efficient that British Airways reported the process of boarding 400 passengers took a scant 22 minutes. Delta and Hartsfield Jackson International Airport in Atlanta were the first to launch a fully biometric terminal in the U.S. in late November and they’ll be far from the last. At least 70 percent of airports and airlines have plans to start testing what’s looking to be the ccheck-inprocess within the next three years.

But for passengers who have privacy concerns have the option to check in the old fashioned way. Though even the most principled person may find them straying from the righteous path when faced with a daunting security line.

Put on your Ugg boots and order up a pumpkin spice latte because Basic is here to stay. At least as far as airlines are concerned. Not only will more airlines create their own version of the stripped-down flying experience (Hawaiian Airlines and JetBlue are confirmed to be joining the club in 2019) but carriers that already offering it are doubling down. United will now have basic economy to transatlantic flights and Delta has started offering basic economy awards tickets to frequent flyers on select routes.

Love Shrinking Seats? Get Ready for Shrinking Bathrooms

If you thought seats on planes couldn’t get any smaller than you hadn’t considered the toilet seat. The new Boeing 737 MAX may be showing us the future of restrooms in the sky and the future is … cramped. In order to get more passengers on a flight airlines have taken to shrinking their bathrooms so that they’re now 10 inches narrower and sinks so small passengers can only wash one hand at a time. Passengers that have already experienced these small bathrooms have photographed themselves hunched over just to fit inside. But it’s clear the experience is far from easy, even for the not-so vertically gifted.

But given the fact that American Airlines estimated that they could see an extra $500 million in revenue from the 12 extra seats these tiny toilets allow it’s not unlikely that other airlines will follow suit.

All Photos Courtesy Of Shutterstock

Horses travel on a DHL Cargo plane.Lazcar International

It is that time of year again, when the global show jumping circuit makes the annual migration from all over the world, back to the United States. Namely to Wellington, Florida for the Winter Equestrian Festival.

Thousands of sport horses will travel all over the world every year to get to destination competitions on the global show jumping circuit. How do they get there? They fly of course! The only way this happens is through the well-run business of equine air transportation, and with the dedicated teams who manage every aspect of the horses’ wellbeing.

Horses loading on to a cargo planeLazcar International

The journey begins like any other, the equines load onto trailers and travel from farms to one of the major airports with specialized facilities for livestock transportation. One of the most travelled routes is between Amsterdam in The Netherlands and Miami, Florida. Another major hub is The Ark at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York. The $65 million facility has 48 state of the art stalls, 24 hour reception center and a speciality quarantine facility for import/export horses. The goal of all sport horse transport is to have the horses travel as smoothly as possible so that once they are off the plane, they can perform at their full potential at the destination competition.

Upon arrival to the airport, the horses are loaded into specialized containers for the flight. Owners can opt for coach, business or first class for the precious four legged cargo. The smaller horses can fly three to a container, and the larger show jumpers will fly “business” with some extra leg room. Flying frequently with the horses is Mary Elizabeth Kent, business manager and director of Laura Kraut LLC. Ms. Kent states that it is quite comfortable for smaller horses to ship three to a container, with the larger horses fitting nicely in a two stall. Once the horses are secure in the containers, the boxes are lifted into the cargo bay of the airplane. The Boeing 747 is a popular model in equine air travel as the upper deck is well designed for human passengers (vets, grooms, farm managers), while the lower deck fits horses and cargo efficiently. In terms of cost, owners can expect to pay in the four figures per stall for transatlantic flights.

Horses in flight, traveling on a cargo plane from the USA to EuropeLazcar International

In addition to individual attendants from the respective farms, the airlines have specialized assistants who are trained to coordinate and fly with equestrian passengers. On a recent MartinAir cargo flight from Amsterdam to Miami, two attendants were on board in addition to other personnel. Kevin Nairne, founder of  horse snack company Kelcie’s Treats who flew with the horses, noted that the grooms aboard the airlines likely spend more than 50% of their time flying all over the world with these animals.

A horse loads onto a shipping container before a flight.Lazcar International

Despite what some might think, most competition horses are very good flyers – some even nap on the flight! However, horses are not sedated as they need to remain alert enough to balance on all fours. Just like a precious package, the horses have quite a bit of padding, with leg wraps to offer compression and protection, and halters lined with fluffy wool. The in-flight snack of choice is of course carrots, which also helps the horses stay comfortable, as chewing equalizes their ear pressure.

Just like their human teammates, they are accustomed to a life on the road as traveling athletes. Even so, these horses are meticulously monitored in-flight to ensure they are comfortable, calm and have plenty of hay and water during the journey. Jet lag for horses is generally not an issue; however, the FEI (International Federation of Equestrian Sport) Code of Conduct for equine welfare requires appropriate rest period between travel and competition, depending on length of the trip.

This jet set lifestyle may seem glamorous, but it also takes an incredible amount of planning and teamwork to ensure these valuable athletes arrive safely and in top form. The logistics for a horse’s travel is certainly a bit more complicated than a human’s, given the sheer volume of the passenger (a sport horse weighs 1,100 pounds on average), and also due to the quarantine regulations. Upon arrival in Miami for example, the shipping agent Lazcar will greet the plane, handle unloading the horses, and the transport to USDA quarantine where the animals are required to stay for 48 hours to make sure no surprise illness made the journey with them. Once released, the horses will be shipped in a trailer to their destination barns, and so begins the next round of competition and training.

In showjumping, inertia is certainly never part of the equation.

The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) and Aéroports de Montréal presented a list of security tips to follow.