It is the busiest travel week of the year, but traveling around the country this Thanksgiving will be quite different than in the past.
With the events of Sept. 11 still clear in the minds of many people, travelers will probably notice some changes both security-wise and in the anxiety levels of their fellow passengers.
Overall, business is down at the Student Travel Association, 800 Langdon St., but manager Deanna Schuppel said flight reservations for Thanksgiving are still at normal levels.
\Students will be the ones that are more likely to travel just because they want to see their family,"" she said.
Schuppel did note, however, that some students are buying their tickets later, possibly because they may have been hesitant at first.
Dane County Regional Airport Deputy Director Rod McLean said students will notice some airport and airline policies have changed since Sept. 11.
Travelers should arrive about one and a half hours prior to takeoff, with an additional 20 minutes allocated for people who are parking, he said.
Students will also need to show a government-issued photo identification, such as a driver license or student ID, between two and four times, McLean said.
Lori LaFrancois, a travel agent at Adelman Travel Systems, 1440 Monroe St., said because only one security gate at the Dane County airport is working, people should be aware that longer lines for security checks are likely.
Travelers with an electronic ticket, such as one purchased over the Internet, should bring the ticket's ""record locator,"" or confirmation number, to the airport. In the past, people simply needed to report their names and show an ID, but now the confirmation number will help speed up the process even if it may not be required, LaFrancois said.
""The smoother anything can run, the better off everyone will be,"" she said.
McLean said anyone traveling Tuesday or Wednesday will experience the longest lines.
""It'll start next Tuesday night, and Wednesday morning it'll be fierce,"" he said.
LaFrancois also said travelers should be careful not to pack scissors, pocket knives, or even nail files.
""Be sensible, pack as efficiently and lightly as possible,"" she said.
Students should not expect to see family members as they disembark. Airports do not allow anyone near a gate without a ticket, so be sure to arrange for another meeting place with anyone at the airport, she said.
Despite general concerns about flying, several UW-Madison students said they won't be any more nervous about flying than they have been in the past.
""If you think about it, the chances of a terrorist attacking are smaller than the plane just crashing,"" said UW-Madison junior Rachel Logan, who is flying to Boston for Thanksgiving.
When his plane gets on the runway and is preparing for takeoff, UW-Madison senior Mark Reber, who is flying to Philadelphia, said he won't be too preoccupied because he has no control over the situation.
""Yeah, it worries me, but what can I do?"" he said. ""It's the only practical way for me to get home.""
Graduate student Marty Maddin is flying home to Detroit for Thanksgiving and said while he recognizes the risk, he is not very worried about his own safety, especially because of the increased security at the airports.
Still, Maddin said he has friends whose feelings about flying strongly differ from his own.
""I've spoken to people that had general anxiety before the attacks and now refuse to fly,"" he said.
For people who refuse to fly this Thanksgiving, taking the bus may be a way to get out of Madison.
Business at the Madison Badger-Greyhound Bus Depot, 2 S. Bedford St., is better than ever, according to depot manager Scott Kreisler.
This semester's student ridership is at its highest in several years, and Kreisler said he expects this Thanksgiving to be the best in quite some time.
Because of the increased ridership, Kreisler said he encourages passengers to buy their tickets at least one day in advance.
In addition, even though the Madison depot does not have random security checks, some other Greyhound depots do, so students should still be aware of what they bring, according to Kreisler.
""Pack similar to how you'd pack at the airport,"" he said.
