TSA predicts record-breaking Thanksgiving travel numbers

Transportation Security Administration officials are predicting record-breaking passenger volume this Thanksgiving.At a news conference Monday at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, officials said they have been preparing for this travel period all year.”Thanksgiving is what we consider our Super Bowl. It is, by far, the busiest travel period of the year,” Maryland Aviation Administration official Ricky Smith said. “Travelers are reminded to give themselves plenty of time for parking, airline ticketing and the TSA security checkpoint process.”In Baltimore, officials expect 35,000-40,000 departing passengers to pass through security on Tuesday and Wednesday.So far, so good on Monday.”Everything seems smooth, not very crowded,” traveler Jane Brennan said.Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday after the holiday are expected to be the busiest of the 12-day period.”This is approximately 5,000 more passengers per day than we would expect on a normal busy day,” Deputy Federal Security Director Grant Goodlett said.If you’re traveling with food for a Thanksgiving feast, or leftovers on the way back home, you’ll need to adhere to TSA’s security policies.Not sure about what you can and cannot bring? Consult the TSA’s website here. Or, tweet questions to @AskTSA to find out how best to travel with a specific food item, or send a message via Facebook Messenger.OK: These foods can be carried through TSA Here are just some of the examples of Thanksgiving foods that can be carried through a TSA checkpoint:Baked goods: Homemade or store-bought pies, cakes, cookies, brownies and other sweet treatsMeats: Turkey, chicken, ham, steak. Frozen, cooked or uncookedStuffing: Cooked, uncooked, in a box or in a bagCasseroles: Traditional green beans and onion straws or something more exoticMac ‘n Cheese: Cooked in a pan or traveling with the ingredients to cook it at your destinationFresh vegetables: Potatoes, yams, broccoli, green beans, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, beets, radishes, carrots, squash, greensFresh fruit: Apples, pears, pineapple, lemons, limes, cranberries, blueberries, strawberries, bananas, kiwiCandySpicesNOPE: These foods must be packed in checked luggageSome examples of Thanksgiving foods that should be carefully packed in checked baggage include:Cranberry sauce: Homemade or canned are spreadable, so check themGravy: Homemade or in a jar/canAlcohol: Wine, champagne, sparking apple ciderCanned fruit or vegetables: It’s got liquid in the can, so check themPreserves, jams and jellies: They are spreadable, so best to check themMaple syrup