Airport officials say they expect around 38,000 people to fly out on Monday.
AUSTIN, Texas — Officials with Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) say they are expecting a record number of departing travelers at the airport on Monday.
Airport officials said they expect around 38,000 people to fly out on Monday, which would set a new airport record for the single busiest spring break travel day.
Airport staff are asking passengers flying domestically to arrive at least two and a half hours before their scheduled flight to allow for extra time to go through TSA security screening, while people flying internationally are asked to arrive three hours before.
TSA lines are expected to be longer than normal and even extend outside due to the ongoing partial government shutdown, which has put a strain on staffing levels.
U.S. Sec. of Transportation Sean Duffy said on Sunday that 300 TSA agents have quit their jobs since the shutdown began four weeks ago. He also said that the number of TSA “call-outs” have doubled from what they were prior to the shutdown, and that agents have already missed a partial payment and a full payment.
The airport said on social media that it expects the busiest time on Monday to be between 4 a.m. and 8 a.m.