Busy Travel Day For Passengers At DIA
DENVER (CBS4) — Lines were long Sunday at Denver International Airport in what was shaping up to be one of the busiest travel days in the airport's history.
Sunday morning security wait times were up to 45 minutes and longer. Passengers were encouraged to arrive at least two hours early for flights.
With more than 175,000 passengers, airport officials predicted Sunday to rank as the seventh busiest travel day in DIA's history. On an average day, DIA accommodates 146,500 passengers. Monday was expected to be another busy day with around 166,000 passengers.
Janelle Shufelt and family came to DIA to send grandma and grandpa back home to Idaho after a Christmas visit. They were surprised by the long security lines.
"Forty-five minutes from the end to where the agents are, not even through the security," said Shufelt.
"Next year, we're going to travel on an off-day, rather than on the weekend after Christmas," said her husband, Andrew.
High School junior Hailey Moss-Stokey was among more than 100 marching band students from Parker braving the lines for a 16-hour international flight to perform in the London New Year's Day Parade.
"We're going to make a stop in New York City, and then we're going to have a 5-hour layover. And then we're going to London," said Moss-Stokey.
Melissa Garcia has been reporting for CBS4 News since March 2014. Find her bio here, follow her on Twitter @MelissaGarciaTV, or send your story idea to mkgarcia@cbs.com.
