Few delays hamper holiday travelers

Travelers head to their gates Sunday at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago.
Travelers head to their gates Sunday at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago.

NEW YORK -- Tens of millions of Americans returning home after the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend Sunday had cooperative weather and mostly efficient airport operations to thank for smooth traveling conditions.

Despite a winter storm that has led to flooding and that was to deliver freezing rain and snow to the central Plains on Sunday night and into today, weather across much of the country remains mild, said National Weather Service meteorologist Bruce Sullivan.

"Enjoy it while it lasts," he said.

Most airports across the country were running with delays of 15 minutes or less, according to Federal Aviation Administration's air traffic control data. But a large volume of passengers at Dulles International and Reagan National airports in Washington, as well as LaGuardia in New York, led to slightly longer delays, the data show.

In Atlanta, officials predicted that 88,000 travelers would pass through the world's busiest airport by the end of Sunday, making it their busiest day so far this year. A spokesman for Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport said the previous record for the year was 80,000 people on Columbus Day.

Lobbying group Airlines for America estimated more than 25 million passengers would take to the sky on U.S. airlines during the 12 days surrounding Thanksgiving.

And the motoring group AAA estimated that nearly 47 million Americans were expected to travel at least 50 miles from home by car, plane or bus over the weekend -- the highest number since 2007.

A deadly storm that has caused flooding and coated parts of the southern Plains in ice over the holiday weekend dumped more rain on already swollen rivers in parts of north Texas and Arkansas on Sunday and made driving dangerous in parts of Oklahoma.

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin on Sunday declared a state of emergency in all 77 counties. The declaration allows state agencies to make emergency purchases related to disaster relief and preparedness and is the first step toward possibly asking for federal assistance.

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation said roads in the Panhandle remained slick after the slow-moving storm dropped ice and freezing rain in the region. Utilities in Oklahoma said more than 71,000 homes and business were without power as of Sunday afternoon because of the ice storms.

The band of storms that has been moving through parts of the Plains and the Midwest since Thursday has been blamed for at least 14 deaths, including eight in Texas and six in Kansas.

In parts of north Texas and Arkansas, the concern was flooding, with flood watches and warnings in effect through Sunday evening.

A 70-year-old woman whose car was swept away Friday in Fort Worth remained missing Sunday. Authorities had planned to send in divers to search for her, but rushing waters made recovery efforts too dangerous and difficult, Fort Worth Fire Department spokesman Kyle Clay said.

Flooding also led to the rescue of a family from their home in Seagoville, southeast of Dallas.

Information for this article was contributed by Jake Pearson and staff members of The Associated Press.

A Section on 11/30/2015

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