Travelers can expect hours of delays at DFW Airport due to the holiday rush

NORTH TEXAS – Travelers are still affected by Sunday’s traffic disaster at DFW International Airport.

Travelers reported CBS News Texas that they were stuck in traffic for hours from the toll gates to Highway 183, claiming it was unusually congested even on the busiest travel day of the year.

Photos on social media show a sea of ​​brake lights and stationary traffic entering and exiting the airport, with drivers unable to move without waiting for hours.

“It was stressful and a disaster,” said DFW resident Emily Pickett.

Pickett said she was dropping her daughter off at the airport around 3 p.m. to go back to college and that arriving at the airport two hours early wasn’t early enough.

“Literally we weren’t moving at all,” Pickett said. “I jumped over the curb, knowing we wouldn’t make it, and left the airport. I pulled over and booked her a flight on Southwest and took her straight to Love Field and there were no problems at Love Field.”

Some people also reported having to wait two to three hours for Ubers.

College student Aiden Lewis decided to take his travel problems into his own hands by getting out of his parents’ car and walking more than a mile to the terminal to catch his flight.

“We moved about 30 meters in about 30 minutes. We were able to get past the toll booth and get in. But when we saw the people running, my dad said, you might just have to run, and I said, “You.” “We’re probably right,” Lewis said.

Why was the traffic so congested?

A spokesperson for DFW Airport said they issued several citations to people who parked illegally on curbs, which they said contributed to congestion. The airport also said, “There was definitely a traffic jam on the side of the road, and that likely included people parking and blocking traffic in the terminal area.” While one southbound lane of the International Parkway is closed for construction, so are we A construction moratorium has been put into effect on peak days, which will significantly reduce all other traffic disruptions caused by construction work, etc.

The airport also sent CBS News Texas Another statement: “There was a heavy volume of holiday vehicle traffic for a few hours last night. We have deployed additional police officers to the terminals to regulate traffic flow. The airport roads were cleared around 9 p.m. DFW had about 260,000 customers at the airport on Sunday, as evening traffic is busiest. We continue to encourage travelers to allow extra time to reach the airport during the busy holiday season.

There was a lot of travel, not just in DFW, but across the country. The TSA said its officers screened about three million travelers at U.S. airports, marking the agency’s busiest day ever.

But with the holidays far from over, travelers fear Sunday’s nightmare will repeat itself.

“I’m really worried about the next vacation – 100% about leaving DFW. This will make me rethink: Can I fly southwest? “Can I get there much earlier?” Pickett said.

The good news is that traffic at the airport was moving smoothly Monday afternoon with no major slowdowns in sight.

CBS News Texas I asked the airport last night how many citations they issued to drivers and are waiting for the numbers.