Welcome to Welcome to Go.
Happy Thursday, everybody.
What a day, what a day.
I feel like everybody's
like sort of ready for.
Time off and vacation. And yeah,
a lot of people are traveling,
flying, hitting the roads.
We want to know,
are you traveling or flying this
weekend for the 4th of July?
Are you going out of town or
are you just staying here?
I know it's kind of weird
with it being on a Tuesday.
I do know several people that do have
to work on Monday and they're off Tuesday.
Where normally in the past it's
been like on a Monday or the weekend,
you have a long weekend or whatever.
So that's kind of
some people just take the whole issue.
That's right, people are taking the weekend.
I think things are hopefully a little back
to normal at Charlotte Douglas this morning
after an emergency landing yesterday,
a flight from Atlanta yesterday
morning having to make an emergency
landing there on one of the runways
because the nose wasn't down.
So I thought we had video of that,
but evidently we don't.
So let's get to Richard,
why not? Richard,
I'm right here,
guys. I'm right here, guys.
But then what you said
is very true, basically.
Yeah, basically what you said is
very true about the ripple effect.
Now, even though those folks
landed safely yesterday,
we were experiencing this average of 30
minutes when things got back to normal,
but some flights were cancelled.
I want to show you something.
I'm going to step out of the way.
Look at this line.
I've spoken to at least three people.
This is the United line.
A couple flights cancelled and
because these are a lot of folks
who have to check in they they
they they have tickets where they
have to go to the counter in order
to get a boarding pass to go.
I've spoken to two people who actually
have missed flights because they're
the lines are so long they can't get
their ticket from the from the kiosk
or the the counter here to go through TSA.
Now they've.
That means they've missed their flight.
That's a lady I'm just sitting down
talking to was on the way to Houston,
another lady who was distraught because she
said the flight before her was cancelled.
And she's sees this line and she's
not going to be able to get through
the gate on time for her flight,
which I think was leaving at
seven O 5 and it was 655.
So she was very upset.
So that's just the point of folks
should know that when you buy certain
tickets that are restricted like that,
like United,
I know for those lowest price fares
they'll tell you you need like you.
Can't check a bag?
They want to make sure you don't
bring a bag on board or carry on.
They'll tell you to go to the counter
first if you have that type of ticket.
This is the type of thing that can happen.
Also in, in one person's case,
they have to check a pet.
So these are all the things that you have
to know before you come to the airline.
So it's important to call because we're
expecting record crowds this weekend.
We're expecting more than we've had at
the biggest times before the pandemic.
Yes, we're back before the pandemic,
but of course.
Now we're seeing those crowds and
increase of anywhere from 10 to
13% over the next several days.
Today really kicking that off in earnest,
you see lines like this here
as far as United.
We've also seen some long lines at the TSA.
There are some tips to get through.
They just one of the things
you need to know that if you,
for instance,
are leaving from A concourse or B concourse,
you don't necessarily need to
go through that TSA checkpoint.
You can go through any TSA checkpoint
except for as long as you don't have
to go through the TSA pre-check.
If you have one,
you can go through that line.
But if you don't have a pre-check,
you can go through any of the
checkpoints and then you can make your
way to that particular concourse.
They have walkways and things like
that and people get out of your way,
especially if you're in a rush.
That is some of what's going on
right here at Charlotte Douglas.
I'm waiting for my flight, but I'm.
I'm working now if I But you know what?
It's good, because if I could be
off till Wednesday, that wouldn't
be called regular hours like I do,
That would be called.
Benjamin Thompson, Hours,
please. It's going to be
here all the next week.
You know, he's going to be here for
the next week every single day.
For once, for once, for once.
Ben Dobbs is going to be here
every day for the next week.
So Richard, I I know from
experiencing it myself and being
there and covering it like you are,
that a lot of times those crowds go in waves.
At 5:00 AM there'll be a huge
wave and it's all clear out.
And then at 6:00 AM,
is that what what's happening
this morning or is it pretty much
consistent all through the morning?
Nothing but crowds?
Now,
now I have to be honest,
this, this United line has
been here since this morning.
But like one of the points,
one of the little tricks that we've been
telling people throughout the years,
When you come to the airport in the morning,
if you have a flight that,
say, leaves at 9:00, o'clock,
and you see these long lines go to
one of the other TSA gates that are
not open yet because they'll probably
open right before your flight,
you'll be able to walk right on through.
It goes in waves, you're absolutely correct.
So you have to catch that, that proper wave.
Talk to to one of the agents.
They can tell you,
point you in the right direction.
They know which way to go.
Hey,
there's our buddy.
Come here, buddy.
This is our buddy. Come on.
He's coming from Houston.
Look what we got today.
Can you get that?
Oh, he's on his way to Houston.
Had a chance to get out.
He's looking at mom.
If there was going to be a kid at that,
he's looking at mom.
Or a child or a or a TSA dog.
Richard, you don't touch those.
I love how the person
just gave you their dog.
Wow. We're friends. She's, she's,
she's, she's going to Houston.
Oh, everyone, trust me.
But a lady did say today,
No, wait, let me tell you
this, A lady did say is that
she saw the camera equipment.
She says, is that the camera
equipment or is that for
the news? Yes, that's for the news.
And she says, OK, where's the
pretty person who does the news?
And I was like, what do you
mean the the person who's very
smiley and does the news? I
said, oh, that would be me,
she says. How was you?
Wow. I just talked. She's sitting there.
She said I wish you I was like, OK,
what can I do? The
pretty person that does the new
you are very pretty.
You look great. Thank you.
That means a lot to her, right? It
does. It does. All right, Richard.
Thanks, guy. We appreciate it.
We have some people chiming in.
Melissa saying she just got back from
Miami so she's not traveling for the 4th.
A joy saying I'm staying home.
My dog is afraid of fire.
Works and John Kelly saying glad
I'm not flying for the next five to
seven days because I can only imagine
if it looks pretty busy behind him
today how much busier it's going to
get tomorrow and over the weekend.
Yeah yeah,
we can think about we do these
shots several times a year but as
they mentioned before this is the
busiest it's been since pre Pandemic.
Yeah people are ready to get out in trouble.
Now you're actually seeing it kind of back
to normality so give a lot of pent up.
Demand. We were still coming out of the
pandemic last summer and so I feel like a
lot and other people had tried to travel,
had things cancelled.
So I feel like this is the first
summer in like 4 or five years where
you could book with some assurity
that is going to go through and
happen and that's what hopefully well
if you get to the airport on time,
you
have to get there early.
I mean what do they say like 3
hours and that's like parking and
in your gate so you don't. Mr.
Flight, like some of those people Richard
was talking about that just got there.
The lines were too long and
they just didn't make it.
I remember back in the day when you
could literally get there to just right,
There are several times I
literally ran onto a flight,
jumped on and then they closed the door.
Not anymore. No way.
Long honor those days, Larry.
I remember it so well
now way by that day.
Well, I hope wherever you're going.
You enjoy it and it's worth it
because the traveling part is is
stressful and or just not fun.
Just stay here with us.
We'll be right here.
We'll be here tomorrow,
next week, every morning. Have
a video we wake up to go as well.
Yes, that's right. All right,
folks, have a great one.
If we don't see you again,
have a great holiday and we'll see
you back here tomorrow morning.