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    Thanksgiving Travel Expected to be Down Nearly 60% at CMH

    The Columbus Regional Airport Authority is sharing information about the volume of travelers expected this Thanksgiving holiday season.

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    CMH is expecting about a 59% decrease in travelers for the 2020 Thanksgiving rush. An estimated 65,000 people will depart from the airport between now, Wednesday, November 18, through Monday, November 30, compared to 160,000 passengers during a similar time period in 2019.

    The number of available flights is also down, with 978 scheduled flights in 2020 compared to 1,844 flights in 2019. About 25% more seats are available for booking compared to the month prior.

    The airport has also released the projected number of departing passengers for the busiest travel days. Those estimates include:

    • Tuesday, November 24 – 5,700 passengers
    • Wednesday, November 25 – 6,000 passengers
    • Saturday, November 28 – 6,000 passengers
    • Sunday, November 29 – 6,100 passengers
    • Monday, November 30 – 5,700 passengers

    In the past several moths, the airport has taken additional measures to protect passengers, including achieving GBAC STAR accreditation, the cleaning industry’s gold standard for outbreak prevention, response and recovery, and installing PPE vending machines with face masks, hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes, disposable gloves and non-contact infrared thermometers at both CMH and Rickenbacker.

    Face coverings are required at the airport, including on shuttle buses. Travelers should also familiarize themselves with new TSA guidelines, including details on details on expired licenses, and check in with their airline directly for the most up-to-date travel info.

    As for travel restrictions, the State of Ohio advises those returning from states reporting positive testing rates of 15% or higher to self-quarantine for 14 days. A map of those states can be found here. Other states have more stringent travel requirements that include proof of a negative COVID-19 test. CNN has organized a list of COVID-19 travel restrictions by state.

    Ohio has seen a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases over the last few weeks, with a reported 21-day case average of 5,224 (as of November 17) and a record-high number of cases on Friday, November 13 with 8,071. Due to the rise in cases and hospitalizations, on Tuesday, November 17, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine issued a 21-day statewide curfew from 10 p.m. – 5 p.m. The curfew goes into effect on Thursday, November 19.

    For more information, visit flycolumbus.com/updates2020.

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    Susan Post
    Susan Post
    Susan is the editor of The Metropreneur and associate editor of Columbus Underground, and also covers small business and entrepreneurial news and the food scene in Central Ohio.Susan holds a degree in Communication with a minor in Professional Writing from The Ohio State University. She sits on the board of the Central Ohio Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and loves coffee, whiskey, cooking and spending time with friends and family.
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