End of Jazz Fest Means Busy New Orleans Int'l Airport

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- The last day of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival means the start of busy days at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.

Plan for traffic jams and for long lines at ticket counters, baggage screening areas and security checkpoints - and to get to the airport two hours early in spite of all that, airport officials said in a news release.

Between the Jazz Fest and the usual Sunday influx of cruise ship passengers, more than 22,500 passengers were expected to take flight Sunday, and another 22,000 on Monday, aviation director Roy A. Williams said.

A typical day sees about 13,000 people on flights out of the city. Tuesday's total is likely to hit 19,000, Williams said.