Travelers flying out of Austin may need to pack some extra patience along with their carry-ons, as Austin-Bergstrom International Airport has temporarily closed one of its major security checkpoints - bringing some congestion to the passenger screening process. The closure of Checkpoint 3, part of the airport's extensive "Journey with AUS" project, will last until 2026 to allow for a vast expansion to over 70,000 square feet; this upgrade aims to facilitate the flow through what is now a bottleneck for flyers, according to FOX 7 Austin.
With Checkpoint 3 out of commission, the airport has adjusted operations to maintain as smooth a transition as possible, but delays appear to be inevitable according to traveler accounts. Passengers such as McKenna Willis have experienced wait times ranging from a breezy 20 minutes to a frustrating two hours; the airport has added two lanes to Checkpoint 2 West in an attempt to absorb some of the flow, but expectations are travelers would still find wait times longer than usual with people now needing to navigate three instead of four points of entry, as per FOX 7 Austin.
The ongoing construction includes more than just queue lines, as AUS is building a new baggage handling system that is like "a rollercoaster of conveyor belts for checked luggage", said Communications Manager Sam Haynes in a statement obtained by FOX 7 Austin.
