More than 3 million people passed through U.S. airports over Labor Day weekend, with nearly 969,000 passengers boarding flights on Sept. 4 and another 935,000 on Sept. 7, the Transportation Security Administration announced.
Why it matters: Those dates saw the most individuals screened on any single day since the coronavirus pandemic arrived in the U.S. in mid-March — suggesting that Americans may be warming up to air travel.
What they're saying: “Passenger volume on the busiest day of the Labor Day weekend was up 30% from the busiest day of the July Fourth holiday weekend,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske said.
- “This is an encouraging trend for the aviation sector as airports, airlines and TSA work together to ensure a secure and safe travel experience for passengers.”
The big picture: The increase in travel was a welcome sight for airlines, which have been hit hard from the dip in demand during the pandemic.
- Multiple airlines, including American Airlines and United Airlines, have announced intentions to cut thousands of jobs in October.
