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Travelers Facing Thanksgiving Rush; State Troopers Watching I- 40 Over Holidays; Bush to Meet with Iraqi Prime Minister; Lebanon Mourns Felled Minister; Kidney Swap to Aid Patients

Aired November 22, 2006 - 13:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DON LEMON, CO-HOST: Hello, everyone. I'm Don Lemon at CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CO-HOST: And I'm Kyra Phillips. The travel race is on. But watch your speed. A police chain that covers eight states. Troopers tracking you every ten miles. We'll tell you where you may hear sirens.

LEMON: Credible threat or racial profiling? Six Muslim clerics pulled off a commercial flight. Some were seeing praying, but other passengers feared they were plotting. Their story is live in the NEWSROOM.

PHILLIPS: A politician assassinated, a democracy threatened. Is Lebanon on the brink of another war? You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Turkey, family and friends. Be thankful for them tomorrow. Today, you might settle for getting there on time in one piece with all your luggage in tow.

CNN is your holiday travel headquarters on this Thanksgiving eve, more people on the road. More check-ins at the airport. And less money in your pocket, thanks to higher travel costs.

Now on the side of your screen, we're going to update you on travel delays. And at the bottom, weather forecasts across the U.S. Plus, we're going to check our flight tracker. Each of those green dots is a plane in the air right now.

LEMON: And down below, we have correspondents at the airports, in the train stations and on the roads.

First up, the 411 on the so-called 311 rule. Three little numbers that can add up to big problems at airport checkpoints if you don't know the score.

Let's head out to our Jonathan Freed. He's at O'Hare Airport in Chicago.

Jonathan, how are you doing today? How are the lines?

JONATHAN FREED, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I am doing fine, Don. I'm glad you asked me that, because I just heard what so far stands out. We're going to see if we can beat this today. It's the quote of the day. I heard somebody walking up to this security line just two seconds ago saying, "Wow, this is great." What you would not expect to hear on a day like today.

Take a look. We have several lanes here that are open right now. It was nuts earlier on. But it was sort of a moderated nuts today, sort of moderately insane as far as lines go.

One of the reasons for that is that people are staggering their departures now on Thanksgiving. Everybody used to leave today. This used to be the craziest, busiest day of the season. And now that has shifted more to Sunday and Monday, when everybody has to come back at the same time, because we all have to go back to work at more or less the same time.

Now, the 411 on the 311 all comes down to bags like these. This is a one quart bag. And the deal is if you want to bring liquids, gels, creams, lotions, potions, as they say here, anything like that, you're allowed three ounce containers, as many as you can stuff into one of these little one-quart Ziploc bags. That's the three. The one is the one quart bag. And one bag per person.

So as long as you're fitting into that, you're OK to bring this stuff on board the plane. Anything larger like the mega toothpaste tube, if you need that much going away for a couple days, they say best to pack it -- Don.

LEMON: Jonathan, looks like most people are getting the point about those little baggies: what they can and what they can't take on?

FREED: So far, yes. We were talking to the TSA folks a little earlier. And on an average day now, on an average eight-hour shift, one of these stations over here, one of these check points, has been collecting about 400 oversized liquid gel-type containers.

And today, they're saying they're not collecting anymore than they would on the average day. So, so far people seem to be getting that message.

LEMON: All right. So far, so good. Jonathan Freed, at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. Thanks, Jon.

PHILLIPS: On a typical day, it's the world's busiest airport, but today is anything but typical. The mantra in Atlanta, get there early. CNN's Reynolds Wolf is at Hartsfield-Jackson International.

REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: They really do, Kyra. We see the number of people steadily climb. And believe it or not, officials are expecting anywhere from 1.7 million people to make it through this venue throughout Thanksgiving week.

And when you break down that number, that drops it to about 270,000 people per day that are going to make their way through this airport. Now that number, that includes a lot of families with a lot of small children, which makes for very busy times for both moms and dads. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The kids are tough. The kids may get a little more difficult. We did our best. They had plenty to play with on the plane. And now they're hungry so we're going to feed them.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think what helped us, we were kind of planning in advance for everything. So we left three hours in advance. So everything went very smooth.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's been hectic. I mean, the lines were long. And, well, you know, the people were crowded. We had some time to go through security, which is understandable. You know, we had to have bottles checked and everything. But you know, the flight's are a little bumpy because of the weather. But all in all, you know, it was all right.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are hitting the 24-hour mark of our -- when our travel day started. And we are just happy to be back in America. We've been overseas for the past two years. My husband's active duty. And we are here. And she's meeting grandparents for the first time. She was born overseas. And we're happy to be here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WOLF: OK, so the question is, now, how do you keep the little ones happy? How do you keep them calm and smiling and ready for Grandma's house? Moms and dads have been saying that DVD players, those work really well. So do coloring book, game packs.

Also extra diapers will not only keep the baby smiling; it will also keep moms and dads smiling, as well. Also some wipes will help, too.

Now, all those things may work or they may not work. You never know with those little kids what's going to keep them happy.

That's the latest we have from Hartsfield-Jackson airport. I'm Reynolds Wolf, surrounded by babies. They're all inside.

PHILLIPS: I was just thinking you're sounding more like a parent right now, not a meteorologist.

WOLF: Yes.

PHILLIPS: Has your wife been schooling you?

WOLF: Yes, a lot of this is from experience.

PHILLIPS: OK, that's what I figured.

WOLF: Oh, yes, absolutely. Every day.

PHILLIPS: Are you traveling with your kids?

WOLF: You bet you. PHILLIPS: All right.

WOLF: Always an adventure, always an adventure.

PHILLIPS: I can just imagine. Thanks, Reynolds.

LEMON: Reynolds doing double duty out there: parent/meteorologist.

AAA says about 38 million of us will travel at least 50 miles from home this Thanksgiving weekend. The vast majority will do that by car. And if you're one of them, make sure you buckle up and watch your speed, especially on a certain cross-country interstate.

Our Ed Lavandera is on I-40 in Knoxville, Tennessee.

And Ed, what are travelers saying about the increased law enforcement presence this holiday?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, everyone we've talked to so far today says they don't mind what -- what they're seeing out there on the roadways. And what they're seeing is a good number of troopers patrolling the roadways.

That is Interstate 40. And if your travels take you along this interstate this Thanksgiving holiday and you have a heavy foot or you feel the need for speed, think again before putting the pedal to the metal.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Interstate 40 ends, or starts, depending on your perspective in Barstow, California, 2,554 miles to the east, cutting through eight states. I-40 reaches Wilmington, North Carolina. No other cross country interstate will be watched like I-40 this Thanksgiving holiday.

LT. PETE NORWOOD, OKLAHOMA STATE HIGHWAY PATROL: Get the word up. Let them know, hey, this is your warning. We're going to be on I-40.

LAVANDERA: Oklahoma state trooper Lieutenant Pete Norwood helped organize a multi-state patrol that will post state troopers every ten miles along this interstate.

NORWOOD: And that's all the way across I-40 from sea to shining sea.

LAVANDERA (on camera): What authorities are most concerned about this holiday weekend, of course, are people who drive drunk and at high speeds. So they're hoping that by staggering troopers every ten miles along the interstate, that that will encourage people to be on their best behavior.

(voice-over) Four hundred and fifty-eight people died in highway accidents last Thanksgiving weekend. More than half of those were not wearing seat belts.

NORWOOD: If everybody drove right, there'd be no accidents. If everybody abided by the law, there'd never be an accident, and that's what we're trying to do here.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I like to speed a little myself, but you know what? I want to see more people alive this year.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To reduce the cost of lives, I don't think it's that extreme.

LAVANDERA: AAA estimates almost 32 million Americans will be taking to the roads this weekend. The national average on gas prices is $2.23 a gallon, about 80 cents cheaper than this past summer. That kind of statistic makes drivers thankful.

MIKE PINA, SPOKESMAN, AAA: People are more likely to put up with congested roads and gas and whatever hassles that are necessary because they're determined to see their friends and family this time of year.

LAVANDERA: And with millions of Americans determined to see their families, for those traveling on I-40, what you save in gas money might easily be lost to speeding tickets.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No tickets, not so far. I'm hopeful that I won't get none.

NORWOOD: Spend your money on the turkey, not on the fine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LAVANDERA: So far, we've only talked to one driver that has received a ticket so far. And like I said off the top, most of the drivers we spoke with say they don't really mind the officers and the patrolmen throughout these eight states doing this.

They don't mind the extra -- extra vigilance, even though it means in many cases, to get there cheaper it will take a little bit longer, if you're following the speed limit -- Don.

LEMON: Buckle up and make sure you drive the speed limit. Ed Lavandera, thank you so much. Do you know how fast you're going? Well, lots of drivers on interstate 40 might hear that question today. We'll talk to one of the troopers behind this coast to coast crackdown. That is coming up in the CNN NEWSROOM.

PHILLIPS: Heavy rain and high winds make for a miserable Thanksgiving eve along Virginia's coast. The harder the rain, the faster the intersections and side roads are flooding.

Some schools closed early for the holiday because of the potential for flooding. And with winds gusting to 60 miles an hour, police are allowing only cars and pickup trucks across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Rain on one coast, snow on the other, maybe a little bit of everything in between. Jacqui Jeras from the CNN Weather Center with your travel forecast -- Jacqui.

(WEATHER REPORT)

PHILLIPS: All right, Jacqui.

CNN is your holiday travel headquarters, not just listening to Jacqui Jeras but our Reynolds Wolf out there at the airport. You can also log on to CNN.com/HolidayTravel. It's a special page with everything from travel tips to top destinations, and we'll constantly update the site through the holiday travel season.

LEMON: What's next for Iraq? Everybody's got an opinion. Now the two leaders whose opinions count most are getting ready to compare notes.

Our White House correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux, joins us now with details.

Suzanne, what is the president hoping to accomplish when he meets with Iraq's prime minister?

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Don, as you know, this certainly is a significant development. These two leaders meeting face-to-face. You may recall the last time, when President Bush meeting Maliki for the first time, his surprise trip to Baghdad. He said he looked into his eyes; he saw a man that he could trust, someone he could work with.

The question is whether or not that is still true today. Bush administration officials insist that they still have confidence in Maliki's leadership here. But it's been -- a lot has happened since that first meeting, of course. The leadership of both of these men questioned, whether or not they can move things forward.

Both leaders, of course, meeting in neutral territory, Amman, Jordan, hosted by King Abdullah. The -- some of the things that they'll be discussing, the priority, at least for the Bush administration, is how to increase training with Iraqi security forces, how to facilitate reconciliation between these warring Iraqi groups, how to crack down on the militias, as well.

And then, of course, establishing how Iraq's neighbors can play a critical and positive role in eliminating, if not certainly reducing, the violence there.

And all of this happens in a much larger context. Many different things happening in the region. You have Iraq and Syria re- establishing their ties after nearly a quarter century. You've got the president of Iraq visiting with the president of Iran over the weekend to discuss things.

And, of course, pressure inside and outside of this country for President Bush and his administration to become much more directly engaged with Iraq's neighbors, namely, Iran and Syria.

And, Don, all of this two weeks later, you're going to be seeing reports coming out from that bipartisan commission, from the White House itself and from the Pentagon, all urging for some kind of positive change here. So there's a lot of pressure on this president to turn things around. This is just the beginning.

LEMON: Yes, he's got a lot on his plate. Kind of speaking of that, what's the president doing for Thanksgiving, besides pardoning turkeys?

MALVEAUX: That's the main event, is pardoning the turkeys today. You might hear that -- the helicopters actually in the background. The president is leaving, and he's headed to Camp David for a couple days for the holiday to spend with his family.

Earlier today was the big event of the day. And that was the turkey pardoning. It's -- this is a 35-pound turkey. And he's quite lucky, because he's not going to be on the dinner table. Instead, he gets to go to Disneyland, if you can believe it or not.

They are kind of stepping away from the tradition of bringing him to a farm in Virginia. He gets to go to Disneyland. He's going to -- this turkey's going to be the grand marshal of the parade, the Thanksgiving Day parade tomorrow. And then he lives out the rest of his natural life at that Disneyland resort.

LEMON: Good for him.

MALVEAUX: Not a bad place to be.

LEMON: Suzanne, tell them to get you a bigger umbrella, because I see you're getting wet there.

MALVEAUX: Oh, yes.

LEMON: Thank you, and happy Thanksgiving to you.

MALVEAUX: OK. Thanks. See you.

PHILLIPS: It's Independence Day in Lebanon, but there's no celebrating this year, just tears for a dead political leader and fears for a government that hangs by a slender thread. The latest developments, straight ahead from the NEWSROOM.

LEMON: And four students are dead. At least three are in critical condition. Alabama police now say they're conducting a criminal investigation. A live update on that deadly school bus crash just ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, it's Independence Day in Lebanon, but there's little to celebrate. The country is mourning, preparing for the funeral of yet another anti-Syrian political leader.

CNN Beirut bureau chief, Brent Sadler, has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRENT SADLER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The somber aftermath of Lebanon's latest political assassination, the body of young cabinet minister Pierre Gemayel is carried through the streets of his Christian ancestral home outside Beirut.

A wave of sorrow for the bereaved family amid volleys of gunfire to salute the fallen politician.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're like all Lebanese; we are very sad. We can't do nothing. We just have to stay crying and looking for the truth.

SADLER (on camera): Politicians from all sides scramble to contain the fallout from this assassination, urging calm amid fears of an outbreak of brutal violence between Lebanon's sharply divided religious communities that sparked a civil war here during the 1970s and '80s.

(voice-over) In a sign of desperate times here, the Lebanese army sent armored vehicles along a main highway leading to the capital. Heavy security measures are meant to calm a nervous population.

But confidence has worn thin, especially among cabinet ministers who have now started to take refuge in the fortress-like home of assassinated former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

A small army of guards, checkpoints and explosives sniffer dogs seal off the mansion, protecting the late Hariri's son and political heir, Saad Hariri, from possible attack, along with some of his closest political allies.

SAAD HARIRI, SON OF RAFIK HARIRI: I'm afraid that there -- there is still big threat on other ministers. And we should take all the precautions to these ministers. And I believe that these assassins will not stop.

SADLER: They watch a bank of television screens to monitor local and international news. Marwan Hamade survived an attempt on his life two years ago.

MARWAN HAMADE, TELECOMMUNICATIONS MINISTER: Part of the battle is to protect yourself, not individually, but to protect the government of Lebanon against this destabilization through elimination.

SADLER: The fear factor now reaches the very top of the western- backed government, confronting a Syrian-backed, Hezbollah-led opposition. Prime Minister Fouad Siniora now living inside his heavily defended complex, fearing a possible attack on his life, too.

(END VIDEOTAPE) SADLER: Kyra, those ministers have been finding refuge in safe houses not just in the prime ministry and the home of the parliamentary majority leader, Saad Hariri, but also, it's said, at other undisclosed locations.

Giving you an idea of the severity that now builds as this country prepares for what's expected to be a massive turnout of mourners when Pierre Gemayel is buried in downtown Beirut Thursday -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Brent Sadler, a lot of people here in the U.S. asking, could we see another war in Lebanon? Could we see U.S. troops being called in to help?

SADLER: Well, those are big questions. No immediate answers for that. What we do know is there are some 10,000 UNIFIL, United Nations peacekeepers, in south Lebanon, trying to stabilize that southern part of the country after the summer war here between Hezbollah and Israel.

Concerns at the international level that this violence with regards to the assassination and possible even greater violence on the way, perhaps leading to some sort of risk for those international forces still gathering south of Beirut -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Brent Sadler, live in Beirut. Thanks, Brent.

LEMON: Coming up, a record-setting operation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HONEY ROTHSTEIN, KIDNEY DONOR: I couldn't save my daughter. So I think it's wonderful I'm giving something to your daughter.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: More than one family's giving thanks for this holiday for that kind of selfless sentiment. Scrub in, in the NEWSROOM next.

PHILLIPS: Riding the rails for a Thanksgiving meal. Before you board, things you should know. Train travel tips straight ahead, as we continue our coverage of holiday travel.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: A dozen surgeons, six O.R.s and 10 patients. Half were in desperate need. The other half, willing to share the gift of life in a first ever five-way kidney transplant in Baltimore.

Jennifer Franciotti of our WBAL affiliate explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SHARON BROOKS, ORGAN DONOR: Not only did I get a kidney for him, but I got to give a kidney to somebody else. So it's just -- it's just a great, great, wonderful thing. JENNIFER FRANCIOTTI, WBAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Sharon couldn't give a kidney to her husband. That came from Florence. But she was a match for Leslie's husband, Gary. Leslie gave her kidney to Gerald. He's still recovering, but his wife donated a kidney to Sheila. She couldn't be happier.

SHEILA THORNTON, KIDNEY RECIPIENT: I can never thank her enough and just, you know, how do you thank somebody who saved your life and made your life better?

BROOKS: On November 14, doctors at Johns Hopkins performed what's believed to be first ever five-way kidney transplant. A kidney swap, so to speak, as part of an innovative kidney pair donor program launched by the Hopkins transplant team in 2001.

Sheila was waiting for a deceased donor, but the other four patients with end stage kidney disease had loved ones willing to give, but weren't compatible. They were, however, a match for someone else's loved one.

Honey Rothstein gave her kidney in memory of her daughter, Summer. An altruistic donor who simply wanted to help.

ROTHSTEIN: I'm thrilled I'm giving to somebody. Her mom couldn't give to her. I couldn't save my daughter. So I think it's wonderful I'm giving something to your daughter.

FRANCIOTTI (on camera): The legality of what's been done here is somewhat in question because of the language of the law governing organ transplants. The idea that just because you donate a kidney to someone you don't know, your loved one may be next in line.

DR. ROBERT MONTGOMERY, CHIEF OF TRANSPLANT SURGERY: I think we just need to roll up our sleeves, get the word out, let Congress know that this is something that will save lives immediately.

FRANCIOTTI (voice-over): Chief of transplant surgery, Dr. Robert Montgomery, says a national kidney pair donation program would go a long way in helping the more than 70,000 people on dialysis.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: And the government says more than 92,000 people are waiting for some kind of organ transplant. You can find out more at www.OrganDonor.gov.

(BUSINESS HEADLINES)

LEMON: We're going to get straight to the NEWSROOM and Carol Lin with a developing story that travelers really don't need to hear today.

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: No, they don't, Don. Take a look at the pictures we're getting out of Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport. You're just seeing but a fraction of the baggage carts moving. Hopefully this picture will improve. Because what's happening right now is that baggage handlers on the ground for Northwest Airlines have literally taken the baggage carts and -- there they are. There's a work stoppage going on. But what they've done is circled the baggage carts like circling the wagons. All they've all gathered at this gate, F-7, according to local affiliate reports, and there's a work stoppage going on right now. So no baggage is moving in or out. Passengers are going to be delayed here.

This work stoppage apparently has to do with a new contract that Northwest signed with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. A contract that allows Northwest Airlines to outsource some of those baggage handling and ground operations jobs. So some 646 people may be affected by that, and the workers have chosen this day, very busy travel day, to express their displeasure with that.

So it's actually a remarkable sight when it goes wide. There you go. There it is, Don.

LEMON: It's just unbelievable.

LIN: People's luggage.

LEMON: I guess they thought this is supposedly one of the busiest travel days of the year, Carol, and I figure this is the way they choose to make their impact during these negotiations.

LIN: Well, they're certainly getting the attention that I think they were trying to get, but I think there are going to be a lot of angry passengers who are going to be trying to get their bags.

LEMON: We wish people traveling luck, and we'll check in with you as this develops. Thank you very much, Carol.

Long before there were explosive trace detectors or biometric scans or no-fly lists, there was lost luggage. And you won't be shocked to learn, there still is, a whole lot more than there used to be.

Here's CNN consumer reporter Greg Hunter.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GREG HUNTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Going home for the holiday? Time to relax and celebrate with family and friends. But getting there may be a stressful experience.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One of the bags, which has mostly everything is not here.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My wedding ring was in my bag and right before we took off I was like oh my gosh, I've got to go grab it because what if they lost my bag.

HUNTER: Dears about lost luggage run high this time of year. And it's no wonder. Some 25 million travelers will toss banned liquids, check extra bags, and cram into American airports this busy holiday season.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It makes me think about packing things that I'm willing to lose.

HUNTER: With some 2 million passengers expected to fly each day this week, baggage handlers and security screeners are confronting a massive challenge. The airline industry insists it's prepared to handle the extra luggage.

DAVID CASTELVETER, ATA SPOKESPERSON: You're going to see approximately 2 million passengers a day through Monday or Tuesday following the holiday. And we are working very hard as an airline industry, as well as the Transportation Security Administration, to make sure Thanksgiving travel is as seamless as possible.

HUNTER: But despite the assurances, a new Department of Transportation report says more passengers are getting to their destinations without their luggage. Take a look at what happened after the Transportation Security Administration banned liquids on all carry-on bags this summer.

In August, 107,000 more flyers lost their checked bags, than the year before, an average of nearly 14,000 a day. And in September, that number increased to more than 183,000, nearly double the number from 2005. Airline consultant Barbara Beyer says the airline should upgrade the technology they use to track lost luggage.

BARBARA BEYER, AIRLINE CONSULTANT: I think it's more or less Neanderthal. You're still relying very, very heavily on old technologies, you're relying on paper, you're heavily relying on individual initiative.

HUNTER: Every bag lost cost the airlines a lot of money, but upgrading the technology also carries a big price tag. McCaren (ph) International Airport in Las Vegas decided to make that investment. Bags there get tagged and tracked using radio frequency technology. Other airports are looking at similar equipment.

(on camera): At Philadelphia International Airport, some people get down right worried looks on their faces, especially at the U.S. Airways luggage carousel and they may have good reason. You see, according to the government, U.S. Airways has one of the worst records for mishandled baggage right here.

(voice-over): U.S. Airways insists that baggage handling is a top priority. And tells CNN it recently hired 60 new supervisors and more than 200 airport employees in addition to investing millions of dollars in new equipment to improve its performance in Philadelphia.

U.S. Airways and other airlines will be under increased scrutiny this season, from travelers taking their gripes global on the popular video sharing website YouTube.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: After sending numerous letters --

HUNTER: Despite the challenges and the headaches, it's not all bad news. All but 1 percent of lost luggage makes it back to its owner. Greg Hunter, CNN, Philadelphia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: And just a few minutes ago, the president of the United States and the first lady getting ready to board Marine One, headed to Thanksgiving vacation. They're going to Camp David. He's pardoned the turkey. He's got his wife. He's on his way. You know, it's the traditional routine every Thanksgiving.

Well, it's getaway day -- Thanksgiving eve and CNN is your holiday travel headquarters of course. We're updating travel delays and other news on the side of your screen and your weather forecast at the bottom. Far fewer people ride the rails than fly or drive, but train stations are still packed. In fact, today is Amtrak's busiest day of the year. Allan Chernoff at New York's Penn Station, getting ready to hop on, hopefully take a little ride himself -- hey, Allan.

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra. Well, it's just after lunchtime and it looks like the peak of rush hour here, as many people are trying to get home early for Thanksgiving. If you are thinking of taking Amtrak, may I suggest you make sure you can actually buy a ticket. Because the vast majority of trains here in Penn Station, they're already sold out.

The train that's about to leave for Niagara Falls, sold out. Same for the trains heading to Boston and Washington at 2:00 eastern time. Lots of the people here recognize that taking the train is the way to go, if you want to avoid traffic on the road.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHERNOFF (voice over): Amtrak locomotive Engineer Paul Schirf is hoping for good Thanksgiving weather, especially since the forecast calls for a chance of rain Thursday in the Northeast.

(On camera): How would severe weather affect the rails?

PAUL SCHIRF, AMTRAK LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEER: It can take out the signal system. Or heavy rain this time of year, you've got leaves on the rail. It affects the traction of the locomotives, makes it harder to get up to speed and maintain track speed.

CHERNOFF: But if the weather's good?

SCHIRF: Weather's good, we roll, no problem.

CHERNOFF (voice over): Avoiding problems is the responsibility of Dispatcher Jeffrey Harris.

JEFFREY HARRIS, TRAIN DISPATCHER: GSCC to the conductor, Amtrak 173, we're looking for departure. Over.

CHERNOFF: With trains packed before Thanksgiving, it will be a challenge to keep everything running on time.

HARRIS: The normal rush hour, just Monday through Friday is just a rehearsal, or practice, for the Thanksgiving rush.

CHERNOFF (on camera): The day before Thanksgiving is Amtrak's version of the Super Bowl, its busiest day of the year. The railroad will be adding an extra 16 trains to handle capacity of 125,000 passengers nationwide.

(Voice over): Riding the train involves planning. Amtrak requires reservations. In fact, some of the most popular Northeast trains are already sold out.

TOM PYLE, AMTRAK SUPT. OF OPERATIONS: It's too late. We encourage to buy their tickets early, reserve early, to be guaranteed.

CHERNOFF: Then there's the question of arriving on time. In the Northeast where Amtrak reserves the majority of its passengers, performance has been improving. Better than four of every five trains on the Boston-to-Washington route arrives on schedule, thanks to track and other infrastructure fix-ups.

But on long-distance hauls, Amtrak's performance remains abysmal. In fact, if you were thinking of taking the train from San Francisco to eat turkey in Los Angeles, forget it. It's already too late. Only 4 percent of trains on the route arrive on time. Freight lines own the tracks out West, and they're constantly holding up passenger trains so freight can move through.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHERNOFF: If you are stuck on the train, Amtrak can take care of you for Thanksgiving. They're serving turkey. If fact, they plan to serve 7 and one half tons of turkey this week, cranberries, as well -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Sounds good. All right, Allan Chernoff, thanks so much.

(WEATHER REPORT)

PHILLIPS: Well, CNN is your holiday travel headquarters. Just log on to CNN.com/holiday travel. It's a special page with everything from travel tips to top destinations. And we're going to constantly update the site throughout the holiday travel season.

LEMON: Well, four students are dead, at least three in critical condition and Alabama police now say they are conducting a criminal investigation. An update on that deadly school bus crash. that is just ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Let's get right back to Carol Lin, details on that developing story -- Carol.

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Don, we have a mystery on our hands. We were showing you the pictures of baggage handlers at Northwest Airlines at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, gathered in one spot at a gate. They apparently had circled the luggage carts, which are supposed to ferry the luggage -- your luggage from your airplane to your baggage carousel.

Well, apparently, Northwest Airlines says that there's no labor action of any sort that they're aware of. And shortly thereafter, the union agreed. Baggage is now moving and they're off-loading luggage, they're putting it onto the carousels and it appears that this lasted, whatever it was, for about 20 or 30 minutes, according to our local affiliates out there.

LEMON: Yes, and if you -- I know what they're saying, we believe them, but that's unusual to see that many baggage handlers just sort of huddled around. I've never seen that, and we travel a lot, you know.

LIN: Yes, clearly there's a statement being made. It's a question of who is actually going to say it. But the message probably was heard loud and clear if, in fact, there was something to be said.

LEMON: Thanks for getting to the bottom of that. Carol, thank you so much.

PHILLIPS: Racial profiling or playing it safe? Six Muslim clerics grounded at a U.S. airport. We're going to talk to them straight ahead from the NEWSROOM.

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LEMON: Well, he was born in the Midwest, but he represents his less fortunate brethren all over the country. A turkey named Flyer -- there he is, he's a nice one -- well, he got the full presidential pardon today at the White House Rose Garden. A backup turkey with a not so fortunate name of Fryer, well, he was also spared, so not so bad.

President Bush said Fryer really deserved a life of leisure because earlier his dog Barney had chased it over the White House grounds. So where do the turkeys go next? Of course, Disneyland, for tomorrow's Thanksgiving Parade.

PHILLIPS: Well, for a city that's always on the go, finding a place to go can be tough. But just in time for the holidays, high-end restrooms in the heart of Times Square, courtesy of Charmin. Just follow Manhattan's "Gotta Go" signs and you'll find the lavish loos.

They have hardwood floors, flat screen TVs, a fireplace, even a dance floor for kids. And, of course, they'll be stocked with Charmin Ultra. The best part though? They're free, though not permanent. They'll be gone by New Year's.

LEMON: A development in the story we have been following here. From L.A., just this hour, another apology from Michael Richards after his racist rant on stage. We'll be speaking to the man he apologized to, and that's the Reverend Al Sharpton on the receiving end of the apology. You're watching the CNN NEWSROOM.

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