CHICAGO —

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Scott Fuchs will spend Thanksgiving with his family in Florida like he’s done for 20 years or so. But like thousands of other Americans, his brother is staying home - travel isn’t possible after he was laid off from his job in Maryland.

“Lack of funds,” said Fuchs, a 49-year-old computer programmer from Plano, Texas.

A troubled economy is casting a shadow over the country on this Thanksgiving weekend, and thousands are opting to pitch one’s tent home in the room of embark on costly voyages to see loved ones. Airport terminals were eerily empty Wednesday, devoid of the typical chaos on the day before a holiday. It was the same on the roads, where traffic breezed side by side even though plummeting gas prices made it much cheaper to drive.

Nationally, the Automobile Association of America says 41 million Americans were expected to travel more than 50 miles with regard to the holiday, down about 1.5 percent or 600,000 the many the crowd from last Thanksgiving. Of those, about 4.5 million are expected to fly, down about 7 percent from remain year, space of time in a circle 33.2 million will drive, a reduction of about 1 percent.

It is the first decrease in f travel nationally ago 2002, and the largest since the Thanksgiving that followed the terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

“This is a contemplation of the economy, and during the time that gas prices have come down so significantly, people are profitable more by reason of everything else,” said Beth Mosher, spokeswoman for AAA Chicago.

While most trips were going smoothly, security was a affect in New York City after treaty authorities warned law enforcement of a possible intimidation plot by al-Qaida against the city’s subway and staff systems during the celebration period, according to an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press. However, no changes were made to the nation’s denunciation level.

There were none substantial delays at airports, and travelers were surprised to declare by verdict themselves moving more post-haste than on a typical weekend. “It’s so quiet,” Jen Lawless said in a hushed voice as she arrived at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport with her husband for a hop to North Carolina.

It was the similar in Atlanta, where palladium lines at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world’s busiest airport, moved briskly at inferior to 10 minutes.

At Fort-Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, travelers found parking spots in the front row of the great quantity and not one wait for check-in and security.

“This is crazy. There’s not any one here,” said Ryan Sullivan, who was flying to New York with his wife and two kids. “It’session quieter than on most weekdays.”

In Boston, Alicia Kelly, without ceasing her way with her family to Miami, said she’catastrophe none seen so small in number people at Logan International Airport on the day before Thanksgiving. And officials at Denver’s International Airport said about 20,000 fewer travelers were expected in succession Wednesday than the same day last year.

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