FAA predicts Thanksgiving air traffic jump

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is predicting that the number of passengers who take flights over the Thanksgiving holiday will increase by 15 percent this year compared to last year’s travel numbers.

The expected increase comes as airports on the East Coast and in the Midwest are bracing for a storm that is forecasted to dump rain and snow on several major cities.

{mosads}The FAA said passengers should check with their airlines about the statuses of their flights and be prepared for possible delays.

The AAA Auto Club has predicted that 3.14 million people would travel by airplane over the Thanksgiving holiday, out of a total 43.4 million holiday travelers that are expected to take trips further than 50 miles away from their homes.

The auto club forecasted that the number of airline passengers would be down slightly from 2012, however, going from 3.26 million in 2012 to this year’s expected 3.14.

The FAA did not release specific numbers for its prediction on Tuesday.