AUSTIN, Texas — Passenger screening numbers at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport are holding steady despite the surge in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations.
But as the summer travel season slows down and people potentially change plans because of the virus, the airport is expecting to see fewer travelers this month and next.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is still screening a high volume of travelers on weekends, with the busiest days being Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. Those days are typically seeing more than 20,000 flyers pass through.
But if you're looking for a less busy day to travel and avoid crowds, the airport said data indicates Tuesdays or Wednesdays would be your best bet for getting out of town.
"We're continuing our health and safety operational changes that we made last year, which include minimizing passenger-to-staff contact through using plexiglass barriers and contactless payment options. We're also continuing our robust and enhanced cleaning procedures and operations," said Sam Haynes, a spokesperson for Austin's airport.
Last week, Austin's busiest airline, Southwest, said in a federal filing that it believes the delta variant is leading to an increase in travel booking cancelations.
It's too soon to tell the impact of the variant at Austin's airport, Haynes said.
"If you are traveling soon, we're asking passengers to please arrive early, don't forget your mask and to also please pack your patience. The airport is busy, [and] ever since summer has had a very quick rebound in air travel and we're all experiencing and adapting to that change together," she said.
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