It’s a very busy time of year at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport.
With 15,000 passengers expected to make their way through the airport terminal on Friday, it’s projected to be the busiest travel day leading up to the holiday season.
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The holiday rush will continue throughout the weekend and into the New Year.
Reunited for Christmas
Natalie Cook, Sarah Maxwell and Maxwell’s mother Vicki Patton are among the thousands of people travelling this Christmas.
Cook and Maxwell travelled with their young daughter, Jordan, all the way from Australia to Nova Scotia, where they met up with Patton and are now flying to Quebec to reunite with family.
“Thirty hours of travel so that we can now fly to Montreal and visit my brothers in Mont Tremblant,” said Maxwell. “We wanted to ensure snow because Jordan’s never seen snow before.”
For Patton, getting to spend Christmas with her children and only grandchild makes the holidays even better.
“It’s very special. We’re really excited,” she said. “We have a whole month with them, so 10 days in Tremblant and the rest back in my place.”
Stranded at the airport
Not everyone travelling for Christmas has had a smooth ride.
David Piercey and his family have been trying to get to Newfoundland since earlier this week. He has been delayed a number of times and is currently stranded in Halifax with a two-year-old.
Despite the delays, Piercey is trying to make the best of a difficult situation.
“You know, you just make the best you can. It is Christmas. It’s sad that we can’t get there right away but the plan is we’re going to get there and that’s all that matters,” he said.
Messy weather heading our way
Airport officials are keeping a close eye on a low pressure system that’s tracking towards the east coast and is expected to bring with it rain and snow.
“We are watching the weather very closely from an operational standpoint,”said airport spokesperson Theresa Rath-Spicer.
“It’s difficult at this point to predict how it’s going to impact our operation but we do ask people to check their flight status before they leave home.”
READ MORE: Winter storm in the forecast for Nova Scotia on Christmas Day
Tips for holiday travelers
For those who are flying this weekend, here are some tips to consider:
Give yourself ample time: The Halifax Stanfield International Airport recommends allowing extra time to accommodate winter driving conditions, find a parking spot at the airport, check-in with your airline and to get through airport security.
Check the status of your flight: Officials say airlines may adjust their flight schedules due to winter weather conditions in our region or elsewhere. Travellers are encouraged to check with their airline directly about the status of their flight before heading to the airport. Flight information can also be found by visiting www.halifaxstanfield.ca
Don’t wrap carry-on presents: It’s recommend that air travellers not wrap gifts that are being transported in carry-on baggage. The Halifax Stanfield Tartan Team and volunteers are providing a gift wrapping service post security for domestic passengers travelling to a non-stop destination. The service is available Dec. 20-21 from 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and also on Dec. 22 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Donations will be collected at the gift wrapping station in support of the Dartmouth North Community Food Centre.
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