2.5 million passengers today alone, amid questions of whether the system can handle it after last year s summer travel meltdown, and the roads are just as packed. plus, imagine if this was your pilot locked out of the cockpit climbing in through the window. also tonight, we ll show you the terrifying new video. a passenger apparently opens an airplane door midair. the wind whipping through the cabin. how it was able to happen. the new deadline just announced when the u.s. will default on its bills if there is no debt ceiling agreement. are we any closer to a deal? new concerns about the health of pope francis. a fever forcing him to cancel events. new insight from the reporter who intervieiewed him face-to-face just yesterday. the u.s. coast guard joining an urgent search in the bahamas for an american teen, who went overboard while celebrating his high school graduation. the critical shortage of more than a dozen cancer drugs. patients being turned away from their
2.5 million passengers today alone, amid questions of whether the system can handle it after last year s summer travel meltdown, and the roads are just as packed. plus, imagine if this was your pilot locked out of the cockpit climbing in through the window. also tonight, we ll show you the terrifying new video. a passenger apparently opens an airplane door midair. the wind whipping through the cabin. how it was able to happen. the new deadline just announced when the u.s. will default on its bills if there is no debt ceiling agreement. are we any closer to a deal? new concerns about the health of pope francis. a fever forcing him to cancel events. new insight from the reporter who intervieiewed him face-to-face just yesterday. the u.s. coast guard joining an urgent search in the bahamas for an american teen, who went overboard while celebrating his high school graduation. the critical shortage of more than a dozen cancer drugs. patients being turned away from their chemo trea
last memorial day? reporter: well, all airlines have hired and they ve staffed up dramatically, thousands of pilots, and flight attendants, and gate agents, and ground crews, and they say that they are also ensuring that they adhere to the flight schedule that they have committed to with their passengers. but, listen, weather remains the big variable, so hopefully it ll continue to be good throughout the entire weekend, tom. all right, we hope that weather holds. tom, we thank you for that. now to the view on the ground, tens of millions are hitting the roads this holiday weekend, and it s far more than last year. emilie ikeda is on the busy new jersey turnpike. emilie, show us what you re seeing tonight. reporter: well, tom, at the moment, we re doing a bit more sitting than moving. we ll give you a look at the car s outside
teaching kids how to clean up the competition in chess. kristen dahlgren explains. reporter: at the end of the school day in hampton, maine, custodian david bishop puts down his mop. that was key right there. reporter: and starts teaching these kids to clean up the competition. meet this year s main elementary and middle school state chess champions coached by none other than their school janitor. it s kind of cool that a janitor has a whole different life. reporter: it sounds like something straight out of the queen s gambit. it s called chess. will you teach me? reporter: for bishop yes, that is his real name. mr. bishop. reporter: none of this was expected. you can t take this because it s pinned. reporter: when he found himself out of a job after a career in telecommunication, a friend hired him as a custodian, then he happened upon the school s chess club. and i asked permission to join and just to help the kids. reporter: now the
representative telling nbc news the plane landed safely following the incident and nine passengers were taken to the hospital for minor breathing issues. the man who opened the door detained by police. this scare in korea conjuring a rash of other airborne incidents in the u.s. spurred by unruly passengers. earlier this year a delta passenger was arrested at l.a.x. after opening the emergency door and sliding off the plane before takeoff. tonight, another scare in the sky with passengers grateful to be back on solid ground. steve patterson, nbc news. back here at home and to washington where we have some breaking news. president biden just moments ago said he believes there may be a deal on the debt limit tonight. garrett haake has the latest from capitol hill. reporter: tonight, the president and lawmakers leaving washington for the holiday weekend. i hope we ll have some clearer evidence tonight before the clock strikes 12. reporter: without a deal to avert a government defau