Long lines at Austin airport; officials urge travelers to arrive up to 3 hours early

Long lines at Austin airport

Travelers waited in long lines at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport today as spring festival season gets underway.

AUSTIN, Texas - With spring festival season kicking off in Austin, there have been long lines reported at the airport.

What they're saying:

Travelers waited in long lines at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport this morning.

Videos showed people in lines inside the airport and people posted videos on social media of travelers waiting outside the airport as well.

AUS issued a statement to FOX 7 Austin about the lines:

"Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) is experiencing higher passenger volumes as spring break travel coincides with Austin’s spring festival season.

At approximately 5 a.m. on Friday, March 13, passenger queue lines extended outside the terminal and remained there for about two hours before returning inside around 7 a.m.

Specific information about the cause of longer security lines can only be provided by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), as security screening operations are managed by that agency.

The partial federal government shutdown remains in effect, and unanticipated delays may continue to occur. Passengers are encouraged to monitor their flight status and check directly with their airline for the latest updates."

The backstory:

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport says it expects a surge in travelers this month, with officials anticipating that the airport will see more than 30,000 passengers departing in a single day on several occasions.

The entire city is gearing up for crowds, as visitors flock to Austin for spring break, Rodeo Austin, St. Patrick’s Day weekend and the SXSW festival.

This year, the annual hustle and bustle of Austin’s festival season is even more stressful for airport workers, as it coincides with a partial government shutdown.

Congress remains deadlocked over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Transportation Security Administration. The TSA is among more than 100,000 federal employees working without pay. 

What you can do:

Airport officials are advising passengers to arrive two and a half hours early for domestic flights and three hours early for international travel.

Officials say passengers should expect lines for TSA, airline ticket counters and more.

Make note of the checkpoints that you can use.

Check your flight status before you head to the airport.

Full details can be found on the ABIA website here.