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BUSINESS
Economy may affect holiday travel
Travelers wait for their luggage in the baggage claim area after arriving from Clearwater, Fla., on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2008, at Tri-State Airport.
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HUNTINGTON -- Local travel experts are wondering if West Virginians will buck a national trend that anticipates the first decline in holiday travel since 2002.
AAA is expecting a slight decline in the number of Americans traveling during the Christmas holiday period. The organization is predicting nearly 63.9 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home during the Christmas holiday period -- a decrease of 1.4 million travelers from last year.
If the estimate holds up, it would be the first decline in Christmas travelers since 2002, according to AAA. More than 52.4 million Americans are expected to travel by automobile -- a decrease of 7.6 million drivers since last year. The decrease in holiday driving comes after a steady decline in gas prices that reached over $3.50 in the Tri-State for much of 2008.
"Even with the gas prices as low as they are, the economic concerns that affect travel are coming into play," said Bevi Powell, the director of communications for AAA East Central. "Low gas prices alone are not enough to turn (holiday travel) around."
Leading up to the holiday travel season, the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in West Virginia is $1.78, according to AAA. To save on traveling costs, Powell said there has been a slight increase in the number of people using the bus, train and other modes of transportation from last year.
About 8.1 million people are expected to travel by airplane this year -- an 800,000 decrease since last holiday season. Tri-State Airport Director Jerry Brienza expected holiday travel to reach its busiest on Sunday -- partly due to the additional flights to Florida by discount carrier Allegiant Air.
To avoid missing flights, Brienza recommended travelers show up at the airport two hours before their scheduled departure times. Aside from security checks and longer-than-usual lines, Brienza said travelers will need extra time for parking.
When the primary parking lot, located just outside the airport, is filled, Brienza said people will have to park at another parking lot located near the airport's entrance. A shuttle will be running all day to transport people from their parking spots to the airport's entrance.
"We've ramped up customer services staff, so travelers shouldn't experience any major delays," Brienza said.
With millions taking to the roads this holiday season, drivers are urged to take weather conditions in to account when traveling. According to the National Weather Service, travelers could experience poor driving conditions for people driving to or from Huntington on Wednesday and Thursday.
There is a 60 percent chance of rain and snow showers in Huntington on Wednesday followed by a 30 percent chance of rain and snow showers on Wednesday night. On Thursday, Christmas Day, there's a 30 percent chance of snow showers.
Historically, the National Weather Service reports that the normal temperatures for Dec. 25 are lows in the 20s and high readings in the upper 30s to lower 40s. The highest temperature on Christmas Day in Huntington was 76 degrees in 1982 and the lowest recorded was 9 below zero in 1983. The most amount of snow on the ground in Huntington on Christmas Day was 4 inches in 1963.
The last three "white Christmas'" in Huntington were in 2003, 2000 and 1999.
