SJC to welcome back passengers for Memorial Day Weekend
Increased passenger traffic forecast for this holiday weekend and beyond
San José, Calif., 2021-May-27 — /Travel PR News/ — As passenger traffic at Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) continues to soar into Memorial Day Weekend, the Airport continues to welcome back passengers with numerous health and safety measures deployed throughout its terminals.
During the Memorial Day Weekend, from Thursday, May 27 – Monday, May 31, SJC will see approximately 58,000 passengers. This is compared to 8,776 passengers during the same period last year, and compared to 108,732 passengers during the same period in 2019. The expected busiest days this holiday weekend are Thursday, May 27 and Sunday, May 30. Airport officials said that SJC has seen a substantial increase in passenger traffic since the start of Spring.
SJC Director of Aviation John Aitken said, “We are very excited to see more passengers safely returning to travel at our Airport as we kick off the busy summer travel season. We have invested heavily in numerous healthy and safety measures, and our team has been working diligently over the past 14 months to prepare for now. As more people return to flying, we look forward to safely returning to normalcy, reopening more concessions, and working with our airline partners to resume more flights and launch new non-stop destinations.”
Before the pandemic, SJC’s passenger traffic broke records with 15.7 million passengers at the end of 2019, making SJC the fastest growing airport in the United States at the time. With the onset of coronavirus, airports across the nation, including Silicon Valley’s Airport, experienced dramatic decreases in passenger traffic. The Airport is starting to see positive signs of recovery, with passenger traffic at an all-time high since the start of the pandemic, which may be due in part to loosening travel restrictions, expansion of COVID vaccination programs, and warmer weather. As more passengers’ travel, airlines will continue to resume service and add more flight options. In fact, Alaska Airlines launched new non-stop service from SJC to Missoula, Montana on May 22.
Face Coverings Required at Airports
Despite the new guidance from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), passengers and employees are still required to wear face coverings at the Airport. Passengers can continue to do their part by social distancing from others, washing and/or sanitizing hands frequently, and staying home if sick and avoiding travel.
Investing in Health and Safety Measures for Passengers and Employees
The Airport continues to invest in health and safety measures in response to the COVD-19 pandemic, including:
– Face coverings required in all Airport facilities
– First California airport to earn GBAC STAR™ Facility Accreditation, which globally recognizes SJC’s commitment to having the highest levels of cleanliness and safety
– Regular, deep cleanings using electrostatic sprayers to disinfect hard-to-reach areas
– Hand sanitizing stations in high-touch points areas throughout the terminals
– Plexiglass shields installed at ticket counters, gate podiums, and baggage claim offices
– Social distancing signage to remind passengers to maintain six feet apart
– Partitions in restrooms between faucets and urinals to provide additional protection
– All escalator handrails have new and innovative ultraviolet light (UVC) devices installed to disinfect handrail surfaces killing up to 99.9% of bacteria and viruses, and restoring a freshly sanitized surface for each person to grasp
– New Security Checkpoint bins layered with Microban Technology which kills 99.9% of bacteria
For more information about SJC’s health and safety measures, visit flysanjose.com/coronavirus.
Tips for Safe and Easy Traveling
These additional travel tips will help get passengers to their boarding gate safely and faster:
– Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
– Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
– Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash and clean your hands.
– Always wear socks when traveling, so if you need to remove your footwear for TSA screening you are not barefoot.
– Place items from your pockets inside your carry-on bag before arriving at the TSA screening checkpoint to reduce your contact with surfaces and reduce waiting time.
– TSA allows one up to 12-ounce liquid hand sanitizer container per passenger in carry-on bags.
– Check in online in advance and print a boarding pass. TSA and SJC airlines accept mobile boarding passes, but having a printed pass can be helpful if a mobile device experiences power or connectivity issues.
– Even with a boarding pass, reconfirm airline flight status before leaving for the airport. Flight schedules may change at the departure or arrival city due to inclement weather or other factors.
– It’s important that travelers arrive to the terminals early to ensure on-time boarding and any new requirements for travel.
Plan Ahead for On-Airport Parking
Recently, 300 additional parking spaces were made available for passengers to meet growing demand, in addition to providing more convenience with finding parking closer to the terminals.
As of May 1, parking rates were adjusted to reflect the reconfiguration with Parking Lot 3 (garage) in Terminal B and Lot 5 (closest to Terminal) rates are $24 per day; and Lots 2 and 4 are $18 per day.
Onsite parking is typically in high demand during peak holiday periods like Memorial Day Weekend, and as more passengers return to travel.
Travelers can check parking availability and rates before heading to SJC in one of two ways:
– For real-time parking status at SJC, visit https://www.flysanjose.com/parking, or
– Call SJC’s parking services team at 408-441-5570 — anytime, any day.
For more information about the latest COVID19 updates, visit https://www.flysanjose.com/coronavirus.
SJC: Transforming How Silicon Valley Travels
Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) is Silicon Valley’s airport, a self‐supporting enterprise owned and operated by the City of San Jose. The airport, now in its 71st year, served nearly 15.7 million passengers in 2019, with nonstop service across North America and to Europe and Asia. SJC was America’s fastest‐growing major airport the past four years, based on percentage increase in passengers served. For more airport information, visit https://www.flysanjose.com.
Contact:
SJC Media
408-392-1199
sjcmedia@sjc.org
Source: Mineta San José International Airport
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