RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) – The unofficial start to the summer travel season is here, and Richmond International Airport passengers told 12 On Your Side that Memorial Day Weekend travel went smoothly for the most part.

Airport officials said they saw 75,000 to 80,000 flyers over the holiday weekend, which is well above pre-pandemic levels and on par with last year.

Richmond International Airport (WWBT)

Michelle and Gloria Jackson, a mother and daughter from Richmond, attended a family reunion in Ohio. They said traveling was a breeze.

“Wasn’t congested, we didn’t have any layovers, no late flights, it ran so smoothly. And today is the perfect day to return,” Gloria Jackson said.

They weren’t the only ones who thought so. Joshua Cayther had just returned from helping his twin brother move into his home in Michigan.

Richmond International Airport (WWBT)

“I was in the security line no more than 10 minutes, got through, it was very seamless,” he said.

Two roommates from Virginia Beach told 12 On Your Side’s Joel Vazquez that traveling back from Miami was much more hectic.

“When we got there, the line was outside of the door,” Kennedy Jones said.

Richmond International Airport (WWBT)

This was also the first holiday rush during which the TSA enforced its Real ID policy. Passengers 12 On Your Side spoke with said they got theirs before traveling, but that wasn’t the case for everyone.

“There were several people getting out of the line having to get a different screening, because they didn’t have a Real ID, and there [were] signs posted all over the airport,” Jones said.

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