Travel experts: Fewer Americans drive, fly on holiday

With fuel prices going through the roof, more would-be travelers are staying at home instead of hitting the roads and the skies on the Fourth of July weekend. Yolanda Fontanez says that in the past,

News 12 Staff

Jul 4, 2008, 6:15 PM

Updated 5,866 days ago

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With fuel prices going through the roof, more would-be travelers are staying at home instead of hitting the roads and the skies on the Fourth of July weekend.
Yolanda Fontanez says that in the past, she used to get her kids and go away for the holidays. But this Fourth of July, she was forced to change her family?s plans and stay in the Bronx due to high cost of gas.
Gelbert DeJesus also had to scrap his travel plans for financial reasons.
"I planned to go to Canada, but it's a lot of hours, a lot of gas," DeJesus says. "Seven hours to go and seven hours to come back, and it's too much money."
According to AAA, Bronx residents are not alone. Fewer Americans are expected to be driving and flying during the Fourth of July weekend compared to last year. Travel experts say the number of people who will be driving 50 miles or more from home will drop by about 1.2 percent, or 34.2 million drivers.
Air travel has also taken a hit due to high fuel costs, with the number of passengers declining by about 2.3 percent.
Some Bronx residents say they hope the gas prices will level out before the fall and winter months, or they will have to put the brakes on their Thanksgiving and Christmas travel plans as well.


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