Pack your patience: post-holiday rush underway at Orlando International Airport

ORLANDO, Fla. — While Orlando International Airport pushes less holiday travelers through security than in years past, the same pandemic responsible for the slash in passenger traffic has also motivated MCO’s new and tedious focus on health safety.

Today is forecast to be the second-busiest day for passengers departing from OIA with more than 44.5 thousand expected, according to a press release.

Greater Orlando Aviation Authority CEO Phil Brown describes how his team is no less busy despite the dip:

“Although our passenger traffic is down about 50 percent from year-ago levels, we have not lost focus on the need to provide excellent customer service, which entails providing travelers and employees with a safe and healthy environment,” Brown said.

New this holiday season for MCO travelers are such safety features as enhanced cleaning protocols, more than 100 hand sanitizer dispensers, UV light air filtration, and a “crowd radar” deployed in November to help passengers better manage social distancing at some gates.

Still---as OIA’s Carolyn Fennell tells us---it’s also the passengers’ job to keep themselves safe:

“The passenger has a responsibility as well, in terms of following the guidelines, wearing the mask, using the sanitizer, doing safe distancing,” Fennell said.

“It’s key to be kind, to pack your patience and understand that everyone wants to provide a safe environment,” Fennell said.

Looking ahead, the busiest time for holiday travel through OIA is expected to be January 3, with close to 45,000 passengers departing, according to Fennell.

When it comes to holiday gifts, it’s helpful to know what you can bring back home with you in your luggage, and what you should opt to check or mail home instead; while new guidelines now permit bottles of hand sanitizer larger than 3oz in carry-on bags, for example, Fennell says that you’ll still have to make separate arrangements for other liquids such as alcohol, cooking oil, and perfume:

“I would suggest very strongly that anyone that’s traveling with liquid items or other items check the TSA website for items that are allowed [...] certain foods, I would not attempt to carry those,” Fennell said.

Beer and wine can be checked with no limitations, but only sealed and packaged alcoholic beverages with more than 24% alcohol (but not more than 70%), up to 1.3 gallons per passenger, may accompany you in a checked bag according to the TSA; to that point, alcoholic beverages over 140 proof are not at all allowed.

Ammunition and firearms may only be brought along in checked baggage as well, but only if your airline allows it, according to TSA Firearms and Ammunition regulations.

Mobile users, see tweet here.

See the list below for the busiest projected travel days* at MCO during the holiday season, provided by OIA:

1. Sunday, January 3rd - 44,971
2. Sunday, December 27th - 44,571
3. Sunday, December 20th - 43,131
4. Saturday, January 2nd - 42,643
5. Saturday, December 26th - 42,362
6. Monday, January 4th - 42,123
7. Monday, December 21st - 41,929
8. Saturday, December 19th - 41,852
9. Monday, December 28th - 41,540
10. Wednesday, December 23rd - 38,982
11. Tuesday, December 22nd - 37,613
12. Tuesday, December 29th - 36,910
13. Wednesday, December 30th - 36,426
14. Friday, December 18th - 35,675
15. Tuesday, January 5th - 33,397
16. Thursday, January 7th - 33,199
17. Wednesday, January 6th - 31,725
18. Friday, January 1st - 28,385
19. Thursday, December 31st - 26,007
20. Thursday, December 24th - 25,800
21. Friday, December 25th - 25,595

*Departing passengers only.

Cox Media Group