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Millions of Americans are preparing to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday, with the Transportation Security Administration anticipating possibly record-breaking air travel in the coming week.
For those making their way to the airports, the sight of moving walkways is a staple across the country, helping passengers move through oftentimes expansive terminals at a quicker pace.
However, several large airports across the country have taken steps to remove the walkways, with more following suit.
Citing space, maintenance issues and high costs, airports in Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Las Vegas and Orlando are among those that have removed some or all of their moving walkways in recent years, according to CNBC.
While moving walkways are utilized by passengers to move quicker through the terminal, some airport stores also see lost business opportunities with customers that pass by without a chance to shop.
Following suit with larger airports, the Northwest Arkansas National Airport Authority voted to remove the walkways from their terminal. The airport, located near Bentonville and Fayetteville, is known for its proximity to the Walmart headquarters.
Though some airports have moved to remove the walkways, others, such as airports in Tampa, Norfolk and Denver, have acted to add or upgrade their walkways, instead.
While some officials have expressed concerns over lost store sales due to the presence of moving walkways, officials at Denver International Airport at CNBC said the large airport prioritizes passenger mobility.
Denver International Airport has no plans to join other airports in removing its sidewalks. “We are a large airport and know they have an important role in passenger mobility,” spokeswoman Stacey Stegman told CNBC.
Stegman also said the airport’s placing of the moving walkways has helped alleviate concerns over hampering business at stores throughout the terminals.
“The design of Denver International Airport is such that our moving walkways run where our gates are located. Concessions are grouped at the ends of the walkways, so that isn’t an issue for us,” she said.
United Airlines previously removed the moving walkways inside its terminal at O’Hare International Airport in 2015, though the walkway that connects Concourse B with Concourse C remains.