LAX officials urge passengers to plan ahead during Thanksgiving travel rush

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A record number of flyers are expected during this year's holiday travel period, with officials at Los Angeles International Airport asking visitors to plan ahead as Thanksgiving approaches. Meanwhile, travelers will also have to contend with recently implemented restrictions on ride-share pickups and the suspension of a popular shuttle service's operating permit.

LAX said this Thanksgiving is anticipated to be "one of the busiest" in the past two decades.

"Thanksgiving is upon us, and we will be very, very busy. Help us help you by being prepared, arriving early and planning for parking and travel time," the airport said on Twitter.

The Transportation Security Administration says it expects 26.8 million passengers passing through security screening checkpoints across the nation starting Friday through Dec. 2.

TSA officials say Nov. 27, the day before Thanksgiving, and Dec. 1 are expected to be the busiest travel days of the holiday season.

Officials suggest travelers arrive at least two hours early to the terminal for domestic flights and three hours for flights outside the country.

Meanwhile, LAX says it will provide updates on parking and traffic at FlyLAX.com and on the Twitter account @FlyLAXstats.

The travel season will provide a test for the airport's LAX-it pickup system. Travelers complained of long wait times after curbside pickups from taxi and ride-share vehicles was banned at the airport in late October.

LAX implemented several changes to alleviate frustration among customers and drivers, including adding a separate lot for Lyft users.

The airport says it will have added staff, Los Angeles police resources and will work with ride app companies to meet demand for the holiday period.

In another ground-transportation glitch, SuperShuttle suspended its operations at LAX after the California Public Utilities Commission said it was not in compliance with insurance requirements.

Airport officials say they have increased the number of FlyAway buses, as well as buses between the airport and the Green Line's Aviation/LAX station.

Potential rain next week might also be a factor in Southern California for those commuting to LAX.