Despite threat, travel is ho-hum

While travelers coming and going from Salt Lake City International Airport faced tighter security under the ominous "Code Orange" terror alert, many ho-hummed the threat as they schlepped bags to their holiday destinations Monday.

"It seems like a typical Monday," said Freddy Panos, who flew in from Boston to ski. "The line was a little longer, but we had an easier time getting through security than usual."

Weather seemed to be the only problem Monday night. A persistent fog caused minor flight delays, up to 45 minutes depending on the flight and airline, said airport duty manager Pat Hawley.

"It's rolling in and out. Sometimes it's thick, sometimes it's very tolerable," Hawley said, adding that visibility ranged between 1,200 and 1,800 feet.

"Flights are coming in and going out. They are a little bit behind on some schedules due to fog, but the airplanes are moving."

Hawley said one charter flight was delayed five hours due to the fog.

The airport's fog-seeder, a small aircraft that uses dry ice to dissipate the fog, was in the air continuously Monday night, she said.

There are worries that the orange alert, combined with the increased holiday airport traffic, could mean headaches for travelers — or cause them to cancel plans and further hurt the airline business. But so far operations have been smooth, said Barbara Gann, Salt Lake City Department of Airports spokeswoman.

Patrick Morely, director of the state's aeronautical operations, said he doubts travelers will cancel travel plans since airlines and airport managers have security down to a science.

The situation seemed fairly routine at the Salt Lake airport Monday despite augmented security. A group of 10 Transportation Security Administration agents stood idly by at Terminal 2 waiting for someone to bring them checked luggage to screen. Meanwhile, other lines were reasonable and arriving passengers reported only minor inconveniences.

"It was pretty congested in New York," said Steve Miller, who flew in to visit family members for Christmas. "The line was five times as long as it usually is. They are just taking some extra time to look at IDs . . . people are getting used to it. There wasn't a lot of complaining at the airport."