What you should know before you fly out of the Tri-Cities Airport this summer
April had the single largest number of travelers through the Tri-Cities Airport since the COVID pandemic began.
And Airport Director Buck Taft expects that will continue through summer as more people take to the skies for fun and for business.
About 25,700 travelers went through the Pasco airport in April compared to a mere 1,800 the same month last year when the nation was shutdown by COVID-19.
Seasonal flights have returned and two new nonstops routes were added. The new Avelo Airlines started direct flights to Burbank, Calif., and Allegiant added a new seasonal route to San Diego.
However, Taft said that more important is whether the amount of traffic is approaching a return to the pre-pandemic levels when there were record-breaking number of people using the Pasco airport.
In 2019, the airport saw the best year on record. So when April was down 7,000 travelers compared to 2019 it wasn’t all that bad compared to the more than 30,000 decline in April 2020.
Taft expects numbers to really take off in the fall after the budget cycles are complete and money for business travel picks up to a normal pace.
What to expect when you fly
For those who are flying this summer — perhaps for the first time in more than a year — Tri-Cities Airport offers these guidelines and reminders:
▪ Face coverings are required for everyone age 2 or older in the airport and on planes — even for those who are vaccinated.
▪ Tri-Cities Airport is minimizing person-to-person contact to lower risks of spreading COVID-19, including social distance markers, plexiglass windows and restricted seating.
▪ Arrive at the airport 1 1/2 hours before your flight to ensure you get through checkpoint lines smoothly — a busy summer is expected.
▪ Automated parking kiosks and check-in stands are available to speed up processes and also to minimize in-person contact if desired.
▪ The 3-1-1 rule remains in effect for liquids and gels. Passengers can have items that are 3 ounces of liquid in a 1 quart bag with a limit of 1 bag per person. Larger amounts of hand sanitizer are now permitted in addition to breast milk, formula and medicines — but they must be inspected by officials.
▪ When picking up passengers, use the cellphone lot to wait and have travelers call when they arrive and for a curbside pickup. Airport personnel ask that guests picking up individuals inside be limited to one person, and that they also adhere to mask guidelines.
▪ Some destinations still have restrictions on travel, vaccine and quarantine requirements. Check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 travel site for current information.