Seems like I’ve been going on a lot lately about how important it is to be prepared for Thanksgiving travel. I know some people see it as a gloom and doom approach to things, but I really am just trying to make flying as painless as possible for masses that will be heading home for the holidays. With so many people traveling, delays are just far more likely to occur…

On top of common reasons for delays (e.g. weather, overbooking) you can run into some unforeseen problems like the one travelers all over the country had to deal with on Friday. US Airways Group is in new contract negotiations with their pilots. Now, I don’t want to get into issues that might exist between the pilots’ union and management, STL Today reports that 110 US Airways pilots called in sick on Friday. A usual day will see about 15 to 20 pilots calling out. The move resulted in the cancellation of 30 flights.

While this obviously isn’t an everyday occurrence, it’s just one of the strange things that can set you back at the airport, and over Thanksgiving, the slightest little glitch can create a domino effect, causing more delays and longer waits.

That said, I don’t want to focus only on the negative. Remember on these super busy holiday travel days, everyone will be at a breaking point, from the gate agents to baggage handlers. If you’re prepared and a little bit patient, Thanksgiving travel doesn’t have to be a hassle.