AUSTIN, Texas — An abnormal amount of flyers and issues with rental car returns led to long lines at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport Sunday and Monday.
ABIA officials in a statement Monday attributed long lines at TSA screening to high passenger volume.
“A typical day sees about 6,600 passengers going through security before 8 a.m. Today, TSA screened 8,965 passengers before 8 a.m.,” the statement reads. “The high volume is due to tourists and visitors flying back home after Spring Break and other events that happened this weekend in Austin.”
Over the weekend, Austin played host to Dell Match play, NASCAR and Texas Relays.
ABIA said operations are now normal, but travelers should to arrive at least two hours early and give themselves extra time if they need to return a rental car, check luggage or complete any other pre-security activities.
On Twitter, several people posted photos of long lines at security and rental care returns.
“The rental car situation was a bit of a unique situation. What happened was one rental car stalled out at the drop-off curb,” read ABIA’s statement. “Rental car staff instructed the customers to go ahead and leave the vehicle with the keys in it. This caused other passengers with rental cars to follow suit and leave their rental cars alongside the curb.”
ABIA said it got in touch with the rental car company to dispatch more staff to the rental car facility to move the vehicles from the curb. Airport staff also helped direct traffic, and rental car operations are now normal.