Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (ABIA) News

For immediate release, March 9, 2010

Spring break, SXSW & more increase passenger traffic

AUSTIN, TEXAS – March is among the most traveled months at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Events such as SXSW, Spring Break, and the rodeo produce extra travelers coming and going to Austin. Just for Spring Break, JetBlue is temporarily upgrading jets from 100 seat Embraers to 150 seat A320s on its JFK flights. Additionally, this March marks the start an increase in the number of nonstop flights to existing popular destinations. Southwest Airlines will add more flights to L.A. and Orlando and Alaska Airlines begins a second “Nerd Bird” flight to San Jose.

Departing passenger traffic is expected to increase beginning Friday, March 12, 2009 and be strong Saturday, March 13. As SXSW winds down, departing fest goers are expected to increase traffic on Sunday, March 21 and Monday, March 22. Alaska Airlines begins its second daily “Nerd Bird” nonstop to San Jose on March 14. The addition will make day trips to San Jose and back to Austin possible. This will benefit the business travelers which regularly flock to this popular flight. On March 14, Southwest Airlines increases its frequencies to LAX and Orlando, with one extra flight to each city. The new flight to Orlando will depart Austin-Bergstrom at 3:25 pm, while Los Angeles is scheduled for 3:50 pm.

During this busy month, air travelers are reminded of the following tips to make traveling easier and more comfortable:

While packing, look through luggage to ensure there are no prohibited items in the bag or its pockets.
Check flight status before leaving for the airport. Check with your airline or the airport’s Web site, www.abia.org, and click on “flight status, real-time.”
Arrive at least 90 minutes before your departure time.
Allow ample time to get to the airport. Traffic and weather conditions can add to commute time.
Be prepared to present a government ID.
Zip in, zoom out with ABIA On Airport Parking:

Use credit card express lanes. Just swipe a credit card on the way in and swipe the same card on the way out. There’s no parking stub to keep track of and in just a swipe of a card you’re on your way.
Call 530-3300 for real-time ABIA On Airport Parking information.

Dress and pack smart for security screening:

Remember 3-1-1 for liquids, gels and aerosols in carry-on luggage. Three ounces per container, in a clear, one-quart bag, one per passenger. These bags should be placed in bins going through x-ray like other personal belongings such as keys. This will speed up the process as TSA will not have to search through carry-ons for liquids.
Knives, scissors with pointed tips, pepper spray and other such items are prohibited as carry-on items. For a comprehensive list of banned and permitted carry-on items, visit the TSA's Web site at www.tsa.gov.
Carry-on luggage is restricted to one bag and one personal item such as a purse, briefcase, backpack, or laptop. A laptop must be removed from its case to go through x-ray machines.
Avoid wearing jewelry and accessories that contain metal. Consider wearing easy to remove shoes to place through x-ray machines.
Outer coats, jackets and other such garments must be put through x-ray screening.
Carrying undeveloped film? The TSA advises putting undeveloped film in carry-on luggage and visual inspection of film may be requested at checkpoints. Checked bag screening equipment may damage film.
Meeting friends or family at the airport? Stop circling the loop, park in the ABIA Parking Garage, where parking under 30 minutes is free. Afterwards, there is an hourly parking fee structure (0-30 minutes is free; 31-60 minutes is $2; each additional hour is $2, up to a daily maximum of $18.48 plus tax). Meeters and greeters should know their arriving passenger’s airline, place of origin, and arrival time.

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is ranked as the best in customer service in North America and second among airports its size around the globe by the Airports Council International (ACI) Airport Service Quality Survey. Austin-Bergstrom has nonstop service to 38 destinations in the U.S. and served 8.2 million passengers in 2009. A complete listing of all nonstop flight destinations from Austin and the airlines that serve them is available on www.abia.org, click on ‘airlines & flights.’

Source: City of Austin