Big Ced Worked at Austin Airport and Offers an Insider’s Perspective on Long Waits

UPDATE: It turns out that the longer-than-usual wait times at Austin-Bergstrom Airport appear to have been caused by a bomb scare.

Airport officials tweeted late Friday morning to announce that police were responding to an active bomb threat in the baggage claim area, causing traffic to be diverted as the lower-level roadway was closed.

Thankfully, normal operations resumed after the scene was cleared.

Yikes! Glad everything turned out ok. Still, the tips below are still helpful when you travel under normal circumstances.

Summer doesn't officially start until June 20, but we typically mark the unofficial start of summer on Memorial Day and people start getting ready for their summer travel plans.

Now that Texas and other places are starting to open up as the pandemic seems to be fading away, more people will be taking to the skies, and we're already seeing longer wait times at Austin-Bergstrom Airport.

KXAN and KVUE report that wait times of up to three hours have been reported, and that estimated wait times on the airport's website aren't accurately reflecting those wait times.

I had a gap in my radio career when I worked at ABIA as a contractor for Delta Airlines.

Coming into work, especially in the morning, I would see many passengers checking in bags and trying to get through TSA to catch their flight.

Luckily for myself and other airline workers, we could go through other doors to get to our office.

Here are my insider tips on how to make your flight on time.

I know they say to get to the airport an hour before your flight if you are flying domestic and 2 hours flying internationally.

I would check the airport social media page hours before your flight. They will tell you generally how long the wait time is. However, you should still plan to get there in advance of the estimated time.

Also, it would be a good idea to sign up for TSA Precheck or Clear to speed up your TSA process.

Another insider tip is to dress ready for the TSA process - in particular, shoes that you can take off easily, and for guys, have your belt off and ready.

Remember to have your carry-on bag free of any prohibited items that will slow the TSA check process 'cause they have to pull your bag for a thorough inspection.

Here is a list of prohibited items to leave at home.

I know getting through that long line to get to your flight can be frustrating and challenging but getting to your destination safely is worth it!!

Happy Flying my radio family!