NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk International Airport is bustling with travelers ready to come home as holiday celebrations wrap up.
“It was a little busy," said traveler Scott Washburn. "It was a little packed at baggage drop-off.”
The airport lobby was filled with sweet reunions. Though some passengers did have concerns after seeing thousands of Southwest Airlines flights delayed or canceled following Christmas.
“I felt sorry for all those passengers," Adriana Dominguez said. "I was a little bit worried.”
According to AAA, flight demand surged despite higher ticket prices.
In the 2022 year-end forecast, experts predicted a 14% increase in air travel. Many travelers flying into Norfolk International said they traded in the cold temperatures for warmer weather for the holidays.
“Two weeks in Puerto Rico visiting my parents,” Frank Alvarado said.
Ella Washburn said she and her family traveled to Florida.
“We went snorkeling, swimming, went to the ocean, went to Universal Studios,” she said.
Despite seeing travel troubles last week, a lot of passengers at Norfolk International said getting home was a breeze.
“Took about an hour to drop off the bags and then made our way to the plane,” Washburn said.
As travelers return home, Southwest Airlines returned to normal operations Friday following system issues. Southwest CEO Bob Jordan released a statement over the weekend saying in part,
“We have plans to invest in tools and technology and processes but there will be immediate work to understand what happened.”
A Southwest Airlines spokesperson said the airline company experienced minimal disruptions over the weekend. The spokesperson said they are still working to address any customer issues.
They said customers affected through the operational disruption can find additional assistance and the latest information related to rebooking and requesting refunds on the company's website.