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CNN Live At Daybreak

Many Americans Would Rather Drive Than Fly This Memorial Day Weekend

Aired May 24, 2002 - 07:09   ET

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

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Americans say the threat of terrorism will not keep them home this Memorial Day weekend, but they would rather drive than fly. According to the Automobile Association of America, many Americans still have a fear of flying since the 9/11 attacks.

And CNN's Sean Callebs is at Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport this morning with a look at the start of a very busy weekend air travel schedule.

Good morning, Sean.

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.

You are exactly right. And here in Atlanta, they are off and running. We are seeing pretty healthy lines for this time of the morning, both at curbside check in outside and of course at the ticketing counters inside as well.

But if there is any irritation from the long lines or extra security checks, the passengers that we talked to so far aren't showing it. Let's face it. It is a far different world today than it was last Memorial Day, and what a year ago would have been perceived perhaps as an inconvenience are now being embraced as extra security checks.

So whether people are buckling up and heading out in the family car or preparing to plop themselves down in an airplane today, patience is going to be the key word.

An estimated quarter of a million people are going to be flying out of Hartsfield Airport today. That's only up slightly from a Friday average, but across the country, 4.1 million people are going to be flying today. That is actually down 7 percent from last year.

Now, too, of course, people in the travel industry as well as passengers say of course the sobering effects from 9/11 are having a big impact in all of that. But if there a hint of good news, people seem to be regaining their confidence in the airline industry. More Americans are going to be flying this weekend than at any other time since September 11.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't have any fear of flying, not really, no. I just don't think about it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't really have any concerns, you know. It's just the same as usual. Make sure that there are no delays for the air flight, and that we arrive on time, and you know, that's it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLEBS: Paula, real quickly, about 35 million Americans are going to travel more than 50 miles from home, and a lion's share of those, about 85 percent, will be heading out in the car this weekend.

Back to you.

ZAHN: All right, Sean, are you traveling this weekend, or are you going to stay right there?

CALLEBS: You know, I am actually going to travel a little bit later on today. I'm going to try and do like so many people. I want to get out and head to the golf course later on this afternoon, and it looks like it's going to be a beautiful day. Perhaps the only thing holding me up: the traffic.

ZAHN: Good luck. Thanks, Sean.

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