It's busy everywhere: Scenes from the nation's airports

Travel

It's busy everywhere: Scenes from the nation's airports

Variety of photos from Hartsfield-Jackson International airport on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving 2007.

Passengers stand in line at the security checkpoint on Wednesday. By midafternoon, the lines had subsided somewhat.

A passenger moves beyond the security checkpoint late Wednesday morning. The day before Thanksgiving is typically one of the busiest travel days of the year.

An airline employee weaves through two of the four massive lines that cut through the atrium at Hartsfield-Jackson on Wednesday morning.

Waiting for flights or family at the airport? How about a cat nap? The day before Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel days of the year at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, so these passengers made do.

The chair cat-napper.

An excellent idea: Use your bag as a makeshift pillow.

Even the military needs a nap occassionally.

TSA Chief Kip Hawley makes a surprise visit to Hartsfield-Jackson after complaints about the length of security checks. Despite the large volume of travelers on Wednesday, the lines were moving relatively quickly. Sunday is also expected to be a very heavy travel day.

Doesn't it make you feel better that TSA chief Kip Hawley (in blue shirt) goes through the security, too?

Young and old, barefoot or socked, gargantuan or pint-sized ... all shoes must come off at the security checkpoints.

Travelers line up to board a train at New York's Pennsylvania Station on Wednesday. Americans packed up and headed to airports and train stations hours ahead of time to get a jump on what was predicted to be one of the largest Thanksgiving pilgrimages ever.

Shawn Van Emmerik holds his daughter, Brianuna Van Emmerik, while waiting to check in for their flight at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport on Wednesday.

Airport volunteer Eve Olson (left) helps Jim Daugherty check on a flight as he waits for arriving family members on Wednesday at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Terminal 4, the airport's busiest.

Daniel Fredgant (right) juggles while waiting for relatives as his daughters Emma, 12, (far left) and Naomi, 10, watch at the San Jose airport on Wednesday. The Fredgants, from Portland, Ore., are visiting relatives for the holiday.

Travelers line up to get their luggage in the Southwest Airlines baggage claim at San Jose International airport in California on Wednesday.

Extra baggage containers are wheeled out in the South Terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson as the Thanksgiving rush goes into full swing.

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Passengers stand in line at the security checkpoint on Wednesday. By midafternoon, the lines had subsided somewhat.

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