AVOCA, Pa. — Scenes of people hugging and reuniting at an airport, like the ones Newswatch 16 saw on Tuesday, are not unusual for this time of year.
But for many of these travelers, this Thanksgiving will be the first time they'll have seen their loved ones since before the pandemic.
Michele Carter and Jaqueline Moore arrived in Avoca from Arkansas to spend the holiday with family members they haven't seen in months.
Kathy Smith came in from Virginia Beach.
"I recently had a tragedy in my family; my son was killed, and this was a good thing to come see my brothers, and my mom, and my sister. It'll be the first time we're all together for a happy occasion in a long time," said Smith.
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport doesn't typically see big crowds, even around the holidays, but travelers who had connections at other airports said things were definitely quieter this year.
"It's actually been really smooth, surprisingly. We haven't run into any complications," said Kelly Norman from Florida.
Some people we talked to said they debated whether to fly for Thanksgiving or not but ultimately decided it was worth it.
"We were back and forth about not coming or coming, but we're not seeing our children, we're seeing people that are doing well, staying in and to themselves and wearing masks, so we feel like it's safe. It's scary flying, but you know, I can't live in a bubble forever," said Kathy McEntee, who traveled from Florida with her husband to visit friends in northeastern Pennsylvania.
"COVID is here, it's a serious, serious business, but life is a serious business, too," said Bob Calpin, who was leaving Scranton for Fort Lauderdale to visit his son.