TAMPA, Fla. — Travel for the Fourth of July weekend is expected to break another record.
Tampa International Airport says it is preparing to see up to 60,000 people daily over the holiday weekend. Already, airport officials saw a record 1.9 million passengers in May.
TPA is expecting Saturday to be the busiest day of travel locally. AAA is predicting Friday will be the busiest.
However, ahead of the weekend, there have been hundreds of cancellations and delays daily. Airline officials are blaming bad weather and staffing shortages as some reasons.
The cancellations may worsen starting Thursday with hundreds of off-duty Delta Air Lines pilots planning to picket, according to CBS News. Staff is demanding a pay increase and the carrier also change their schedules to reduce flight disruptions.
The Air Line Pilots Association wrote its nearly 14,000 members are working longer hours despite the cancellations.
Delta is now issuing system-wide travel waivers, allowing passengers the option to rebook their flights after the holiday weekend. In exchange, no fare differences or change fees, if passengers travel to and from the original destination.
TPA is recommending travelers arrive two hours before departure and three hours if flying out of the country. Officials are also reminding passengers that reserving parking online is an option should the garage fill up.
For those not checking bags, an express curbside lane may save time. TPA said this will "allow passengers to get to and from their gates faster, bypassing the ticketing or bag claim levels and improving the overall passenger experience."
TPA said the first airport in the country to launch this feature for the passengers.