AND AWAY WE GO! MILLIONS EXPECTED TO TRAVEL FOR TURKEY.

Byline: Andrea Cavanaugh and James Nash Staff Writers

Paul Lober has a lot to be thankful for this year.

On ``Black Wednesday'' - the day before Thanksgiving universally dreaded by those in the travel industry - the ticket agent for a major airline will be relaxing with his family in Kansas City.

Many others won't be so lucky. A record 2.85 million Southern Californians are expected to travel for the long weekend - many of them hitting the road or thronging to airports the night before Thanksgiving, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California.

``I've seen the lines for security stretching out the door,'' said Lober, 35, of Encino, as he waited for his flight at Burbank Airport with his dog, Idgy. ``This is the calm before the storm.''

More than 2.25 million Southern Californians plan to drive to their Thanksgiving destinations, a nearly 3 percent increase, and 440,000 expect to fly, up 5.7 percent over last year, according to the Auto Club.

This year marks the first time that travel volume will exceed pre-9-11 levels, said Marie Montgomery, a spokeswoman for the Auto Club. About 2.77 million Southern Californians traveled during the Thanksgiving holiday in 2000, she said.

``People who've put off their trips because of 9-11, because of the economy, because of the war in Iraq, this year they finally said, OK, I'm going to take a trip,'' she said. ``Prices are up too.''

Winter weather in other parts of the country caused flight delays Monday. Joan Harper, who was on her way to Santa Barbara with her mother, experienced short delays, but her flight was otherwise uneventful, she said.

The key to successful travel is to stay relaxed, said Harper, 51, of Norman, Okla.

``Go early, smile, keep your spirits up,'' she said. ``And breathe. Keep breathing. That's important.''

An expansion of the Van Nuys FlyAway that was supposed to be finished in time for the holiday travel season now may be completed by the end of the year, Van Nuys Airport spokeswoman Stacy Geere said. Expansion of the park-and-ride service from Van Nuys Airport to Los Angeles International has been fraught with months of glitches and delays.

The five-level parking structure at the center of the expansion has been plagued with engineering problems. At one point, Los Angeles World Airports officials ordered contractor Tutor-Saliba Inc. to halt work on the structure because of defective construction.

The structure now is 94 percent complete, Geere said. A terminal building that rounds out the $34 million project is fully complete, she said.

As a stopgap measure, airport officials have opened a 360-space parking lot near Saticoy and Woodley avenues that formerly served as an auto lot.

Granada Hills resident Dana Abram grumbled with frustration Monday as she wrestled two large suitcases to a muddy curb outside the old terminal. Although she has been a satisfied customer of the FlyAway for 15 years, the construction delays have been irritating, Abram said.

``For someone to cross the street with 100 pounds of luggage after traveling for 24 hours is ridiculous,'' said Abram, who was returning from France to spend Thanksgiving with her family. ``I wish they had made some other plans for pickups and drop-offs.''

Andrea Cavanaugh, [phone]

andrea.cavanaugh(at)dailynews.com

THANKSGIVING TRAVEL TIPS

With 1.8 million passengers expected to pass through Los Angeles International Airport during the Thanksgiving holiday, officials offer the following tips for making travel easier:

--Arrive at least two hours before your scheduled flight.

--Do not pack or bring prohibited items to LAX, especially those that resemble any type of weapon. All metal items should be placed inside carry-on bags.

--Leave gifts or large boxes unwrapped for inspection. Bring materials to wrap boxes that will be checked in.

--Save time at check-in by obtaining boarding passes electronically from airline Web sites, especially if traveling with carry-on bags only.

--Take advantage of the two hours free parking available in Economy Lots B and C and take the free LAX shuttle buses to the terminals to meet arriving passengers.

--Meet arriving passengers in the baggage claim areas on the Lower/Arrivals Level. No parking or waiting curbside will be allowed.

--Do not agree to watch strangers' luggage or personal belongings.

The Automobile Club of Southern California estiamtes 2.3 million Southern Californians to drive to their destinations. Here are tips for getting there and back safely:

--Let someone know where you're going and when you plan to return.

--Make sure your vehicle is in top operating condition before leaving home.

--Map your route in advance, especially on unfamiliar freeways. Never stop on a freeway if you're lost. Instead, exit, park and study the map again. Know the name, route, exit number and travel directions of your destination.

--If you encounter a breakdown, avoid making repairs on the freeway. When using a call box, always face oncoming traffic.

--Avoid road rage. Be cautious and courteous, and always signal when you merge or change lanes. If you cut someone off by mistake, try to apologize with an appropriate gesture. Avoid eye contact with an angry driver.

--Carry supplies you may need in an emergency, including five gallons of water, radiator hoses, a fan belt, fuses, oil and a tool kit.

--Don't count on your cell phone to bail you out of trouble. Most remote areas have no cellular coverage.

--Keep your tires at normal pressure. Soft tires generate heat, which can lead to a blowout.

--Keep an eye on your gas, oil and engine temperature gauges.

SOURCE: Automobile Club of Southern California

Daily News

CAPTION(S):

3 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) Vehicles cruise down the Antelope Valley Freeway on Monday, in advance of the traffic expected to tie up roads on Thanksgiving Eve.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News

(2 -- color) Kathy and Bruce Borrud of Palm Desert wait for a ride on Monday at the Van Nuys FlyAway, which is still under construction.

Tina Burch/Staff Photographer

(3) no caption (airplane)

Box:

THANKSGIVING TRAVEL TIPS (see text)