Austin airport expects all-time high car rental returns following eclipse
AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Tuesday, the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport warned fliers that security lines were long.
In a social media post, AUS said security screening lanes are experiencing a high volume of passengers.
“AUS staff is currently directing passengers into queuing lanes to better organize the number of passengers. Please follow instructions from AUS staff. We appreciate your patience in advance,” the post said.
“A busy day for the airport is around 35,000 passengers, and the projected count for today was around 36,000.”
Lesly Ramirez, AUS Public Information Specialist
Now that the eclipse has come and gone, thousands of visitors are leaving the area. A lot of them are flying through the Austin airport.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: ‘Expect a delay’: Austin airport car rental concerns ahead of eclipse
‘Two times as many rental car returns’
Because of that, AUS said rental car companies at the airport expect a record-breaking number of car returns on Tuesday.
“That’s two times as many rental car returns compared to F1 that we were expecting post- eclipse,” Ramirez said.
The airport warned about additional wait times for people returning rental cars. But for people like Stephen DiBitetto, the process was fast.
“I was a little nervous, but everything really worked out. Maybe we got lucky.”
Stephen DiBitetto
On the flip side, people picking up rental cars like Jack McCarty ran into some delays.
“We’re waiting in line on our rental car with Fox, who we usually don’t use,” McCarty said. “But there were no rental cars available.”
McCarty described the airport as a “madhouse.”
“Every gate was packed with people. People all out in the aisles, all the restaurants packed with people.”
Jack McCarty
When he planned the trip, McCarty said he didn’t realize it coincided with the eclipse. Now, he’s just hoping the crowds aren’t around by the time he needs to travel again.
“Maybe all these people will be gone when we leave on Friday,” McCarty said.
KXAN reached out to rental car companies for car drop-off numbers but haven’t heard back yet.
Extra airport staff
It was so busy that AUS said they had to bring in reinforcements.
“People that you actually see in the safety vest, some of them are normal guest services staff, but a lot of them are also volunteers from our administrative building,” Ramirez said.
Ramirez said they even had their chief of finance help direct passengers as well.
“That’s kind of what it looks like on a busy day like this,” Ramirez said. “It’s all hands on deck.”
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