McCarran braces for busy days

Tuesday, Nov. 26, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

While just about everything shuts down on Thanksgiving Day, at least one facility will be doing brisk business -- McCarran International Airport.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitor's Authority estimates that 191,000 people will visit Las Vegas during what for many will be a four-day weekend.

In all, 400,000 people will pass through McCarran from Thursday morning to Sunday, convention officials said.

Airport statistics show that Thanksgiving is one of the busiest times of the year for people flying out of town. With that in mind, officials recommend the following:

* Arrive at least 90 minutes before departure so that you have plenty of time to locate a parking space, check in with your airline and find the appropriate gate.

* Be prepared to show photo identification while checking in. Waits in line at counters can be as long as 30 minutes.

* Be advised that the color-coded lanes are orange for passenger pickups, green for long-term parking and red for additional short-term parking and valet.

* For information on available parking, call 261-5121.

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