McCarran braces for half-million holiday travelers

Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2000 | 10:31 a.m.

One out of seven Nevadans will travel more than 100 miles from home between Wednesday and Sunday for the Thanksgiving holiday, AAA Nevada reports.

The Air Transport Association, a trade group representing the major airlines, predicts there will be more than 20 million passengers nationwide in the week and a half surrounding the holiday.

A half-million of those passengers will likely travel through McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, McCarran spokeswoman Hilarie Grey said.

"We know that we are going to be very busy," she said.

The airport will probably open its remote parking lots today, Grey said. She stressed, however, that people staying at the airport a few hours or minutes to pick up or drop off a passenger are likely to find a parking space in the short-term parking lot next to the terminal.

Because of the volume of arriving and departing passengers, Grey said people flying out of McCarran should arrive at the airport at least 90 minutes before their scheduled departure time.

"Air travelers should expect long lines at check-in and tight restrictions for carry-on baggage," AAA spokeswoman Lisa Foster agreed.

Those flying passengers who haven't yet made travel plans need to do so soon. AAA reports that flights are mostly filled up, although some seats remain.

Most Nevadans -- 81 percent -- will travel by automobile, the organization said.

Whether by road or air, bad weather could be a factor over the weekend. AAA advises motorists to check ahead on weather conditions and watch out for wet and icy roads.

Bad weather also can affect flights coming to or leaving Las Vegas. Grey suggested that potential passengers check on their flight status online (www.mccarran.com). The airport provides "real-time flight information" for hundreds of outgoing and incoming flights.

Fliers have other potential problems to sweat.

United Airlines has blamed hundreds of cancellations over the last week on a slowdown by mechanics who are engaged in thorny contract talks with the airline.

The machinists union has denied any organized effort to hurt the airline on what is traditionally its second-busiest time of year.

In an automated, recorded message for the media, the airline reported Monday that about 5 percent of its 2,100 flights were canceled. The message said the airline would not take any questions on the labor dispute.

United passengers can call the airline to check their flight status.

If the other potential problems aren't enough to worry about, another union says snuggling up under an airline blanket might make you sick.

The Union of Needle Trades, Industrial and Textile Employees said Monday that blankets, pillowcases and headphones handed out to airline passengers are not always washed after every use and may harbor dangerous germs.

The union is trying to organize laundry workers at Royal Airline Laundry plants nationwide. The company, based in Inwood, N.Y., cleans and packages linens for more than 150 airlines.

Royal Airline Laundry denies packaging dirty blankets.

Dr. Russell Rayman, director of the Aerospace Medical Association, said infection is highly unlikely.