NORFOLK, Va. — Families are traveling for the holidays, meaning Norfolk International Airport is seeing an increase in passengers. November 2021 was the busiest November in the airport’s history.
Norfolk International Airport reports that ridership has more than doubled since last year this time, and COVID-19 is not stopping some from boarding their flight.
"As we continue to realize, you know, COVID is going to be staying around, especially with all these variants and stuff like that, we need to continue with traveling and experiencing life to the fullest," Evan Ecker, a passenger flying out of Norfolk International Airport, told News 3.
The airport has seen an 84.3% increase from January 2020 to November 2021. Fifteen-year-old Ecker said he experienced his first flight Friday.
"It was such a surreal experience doing it, and I enjoyed it. Everyone was so nice, and the staff was amazing," Ecker said.
Airport experts said they’re seeing travel demand going up and inching closer to pre-pandemic numbers, and Norfolk International Airport is responding to that by adding capacity.
One flyer told News 3 she travels out of Norfolk International Airport often.
"People are just trying to get back to a sense of normalcy, but I do believe that if you plan accordingly and you keep an open mind, making sure that you do the things that you need to do to stay safe, then we can travel safely," Kimberly Bell, a passenger flying out of the airport, told News 3.
Passengers said they feel safer flying now that they have received their COVID-19 vaccines.
Related: Norfolk International Airport sees more passengers heading into fall
