ORLANDO, Fla. – Amid the busy holiday travel, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson spoke at Orlando International Airport Wednesday about a new, automated system, in collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration, to get planes in the air quicker, while also reducing maintenance costs and passenger wait times.
“Everything is more automated and the flight hardware and software to continuously move that airplane, so it’s not hung up on the ground,” Nelson said. “This is an exciting time.”
He said that system is being put in place at a number of airports across the country including at OIA in 2023.
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At the same time, Airport leaders are encouraging travelers to arrive early and check with their airline before leaving home this Thanksgiving holiday travel season.
They said they expect this Saturday to be the busiest travel day over the 12-day holiday season with more than 154,000 travelers, compared to 170,000 the same day in 2019.
“We expect over this thanksgiving holiday weekend to be almost at the same level we were at for thanksgiving of 2019,” said Greater Orlando Aviation Authority CEO Phil Brown. “I think if you listen to all of the airline CEOs, they’re staffed up and they want to see a successful holiday season.”
On Wednesday, there were few delays and cancellations out of the Orlando International Airport and passengers said things have been pretty smooth.
“Everything was just fast, I’m like okay,” passenger Rothley Frederick from New Jersey said. “It wasn’t even long lines. It was right through, right through.”
Frederick and his family couldn’t wait to spend Thanksgiving here in Florida with warmer weather.
“During the holiday season it’s usually crowded, so we are surprised that it wasn’t as packed as we thought it would be,” Renee Frederick said.