HHI Airport director provides tips ahead of expected busy travel period

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (WTOC) - The FAA expects nearly 4.7 million people to fly to their Thanksgiving destination this week, crowding airports around the country and in the Lowcountry.

If you’re traveling through one of the Savannah area’s airports over the next few days, chances are security lines could be long. Because of that, airport leaders say it’s important to be one step ahead of all possibilities.

“Just pre-plan, you know, think ahead. And then arrive a little bit earlier than you think you need to because in the worst-case scenario you can get a newspaper and a coffee and just relax for a while,” Hilton Head Island Airport Director Jon Rembold said.

He said simple things like keeping your photo id and boarding pass ready will help lines go more smoothly but emphasizes that busy travel days like the ones upcoming are more stressful at airports bigger than the one he looks over here on Hilton Head.

“We’re not going to be as crowded as some of the other airports for sure. If you’re flying out of here still show up about 90 minutes early, it’s just good practice to do that,” Rembold said.

While you can control when you arrive, Rembold knows no one can control the weather. He says rain is not cause for concern though, as the warm temperatures in the Lowcountry will keep the water from freezing and becoming a threat.

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