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Houston Airport System
March 13, 2007
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Spring breakers all across the nation are setting their books aside and getting ready to trade their winter clothes for tank tops and shorts.
With their boarding pass in hand these university students are making their way to the airport and waving goodbye to school – well at least for a couple of days.
“Spring Break,” these two little words buzz around college campuses as early as January, each year, as co-eds start daydreaming about fun in the sun, sometimes even during class.
For some, spring break has become somewhat of a college life tradition and each year is a challenge to top their previous year’s adventures.
This is good news for airports like George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) and William P. Hobby, two of Houston's busiest airports, which comprise the Houston Airport System (HAS). Year over year, our local airports see a continuous surge in spring break travelers.
This vacation season, for example, overall passenger traffic at the two airports is expected to increase by 6.5 percent over last year’s numbers.
Party-hungry co-eds provide a definite boost to the travel industry, airport officials say.
“Over the 18-day spring break period we are expecting more than 1.8 million travelers to pass through Houston’s airports,” said Richard M. Vacar, director of the Houston Airport System. “A large part of those travelers are students.”
For many making the most of that time means traveling by air instead of by land.
But what exactly lures these students to hot-spot destinations in Mexico, the Caribbean and throughout the United States? Students like Aracely Lopez, a senior at the University of Houston central campus, say the name spring break describes it all.
"The word ‘break’ paints a picture,” she said. “Basically, it's the thrill of getting away from nagging professors to those last-minute study sessions right before an exam. I can't wait to spend an entire day at the beach with my friends and not have to worry about a paper that's due the next day. This is my time to relax and to unwind before having to worry about final exams." |
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Beaches around the globe are swarming with college co-eds this Spring Break. |
This spring break Lopez is traveling to Jamaica with friends. Last year, they drove up to South Padre Island, here in Texas, a six hour drive from Houston. She says, this year, they wanted to have more time at the beach and not have to worry about wasting party-time.
Lopez and her entourage will be traveling by air.
"My friends and I want to make the most of our trip, especially during spring break. It's a lot easier for us to pack our bags and head straight to the airport. We don't have to worry about getting lost or running out of gas,” she explained. “Plus, the best part about (traveling by air) is we get there as soon as possible...that gives us more time to party."
Joseph Garza, a senior at the University of Houston downtown campus, agrees. He says boarding a plane is just a lot faster. For the past two years Garza and his friends have been traveling to the sandy beaches of Cancun Mexico during spring break.
For this last-year college undergraduate, the best part about traveling during this break period is meeting other college students.
"Everyone in Cancun is ready to have fun. The view is amazing and it's always better with friends,” he said. “As soon as I set foot on the plane I completely block out school. I can worry about my papers and exams when I get back."
Last year, Garza went on a Mayan adventure excursion – the memories of that trip are still very much in his mind.
"Besides the wild parties at night, the day events are just as fun," he said. "There are a lot of things to do like snorkeling, jet-skiing and scuba diving – we like to do it all."
But overall, Garza says, the memories are the best.
“When my friends and I come back, we have a lot of stories to tell. Even though our spring break is over and we have to hit the books again, we talk about our trip for a long time. It's a memorable time,” he concluded.
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