Today and tomorrow could be two of the busiest days ever for the Des Moines International Airport. Airport spokesperson Roy Criss says, now that the Iowa Caucuses are history, at least a few thousand people are trying to catch flights out of town.
He says most of the national and international media and political organizers need to get to the next states involved in the presidential nominating process very quickly. Criss says there’s nothing to compare these next two days to.
"The first part of that will be the return of rental cars," Criss says, "we’re expecting about 2,000 of those to come in over the two days." Overall, the airlines are preparing for a 50% increase in people departing the Des Moines Airport.
"A normal day out here, we put maybe 2,700 or 2,800 people on planes," Criss explains, "but if there’s only one person in each car, we’re looking at an extra 2,000 people stretched over a couple days." Criss says anyone leaving from the Des Moines Airport should arrive two hours before their departing flight.
He suggests packing and dressing carefully so you don’t cause any delays at security screening. And, as Criss states, "bring your patience with you." Travelers can check on the status of their flight on-line at the airport’s website .