{"id":376368,"date":"2026-07-17T02:59:17","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T02:59:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/376368\/"},"modified":"2026-07-17T02:59:17","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T02:59:17","slug":"austin-airport-rolls-out-navigation-app-for-visually-impaired-passengers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/376368\/","title":{"rendered":"Austin airport rolls out navigation app for visually impaired passengers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Through Aira, travelers can call a live guide to read signs, describe crowds and direct them around ongoing construction.<\/p>\n

AUSTIN, Texas \u2014 Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is undergoing ongoing construction and layout changes, which can make it difficult for blind and visually impaired travelers to navigate the terminal.<\/p>\n

To address that, travelers can now access a free mobile app called Aira Explorer, which connects passengers via their smartphone camera and microphone to a live agent who provides real-time directions and describes their surroundings so they can move through the airport more safely and independently.<\/p>\n


\n \"\" <\/p>\n


\n This story continues below. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n


\n More in Local \n <\/p>\n


\n
\n
\n
\n <\/p>\n

\"\"
\n
\n <\/p>\n


\n
\n Hays County launches new self-service website
\n \n <\/p>\n


\n
\n <\/a>
\n
\n
\n
\n <\/p>\n

\"\"
\n
\n <\/p>\n


\n
\n Hays County unveils easier-to-use government website
\n \n <\/p>\n


\n
\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\u201cThere’s a lot going on, and so we want to make sure that we’re taking the next step to make sure that our building is accessible to any and all that come through our airport,\u201d said Kimberley Hey, communications manager at Austin\u2019s airport.<\/p>\n

Once a traveler downloads the app on an iPhone or Android device, it detects when the person is at the airport and allows them to use the service at no cost. Hey added that the app is available 24\/7 year-round.<\/p>\n

From there, passengers can call a live Aira agent. The agent uses an interactive map of the airport, along with the phone\u2019s camera and microphone, to guide the traveler step by step.<\/p>\n

Agents can also describe nearby conditions and foot traffic, be used to read information on signs – including departure times – and to help locate specific services inside the terminal.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you want to find a restroom, a restaurant, a pet relief area, if you’re flying with your pet, it will help you find your gate, any lounges,” Hey said. “Really, the sky is the limit when using the Aira app, and it’s a tool that we’re really excited to offer all of our passengers that fly through.”<\/p>\n

The airport launched their partnership with the app in June and Hey said as of halfway through July, they\u2019ve seen 100 people use the app with over 1,000 minutes of accessibility services used.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The app cannot be used while passengers are going through TSA screening, but Hey said it is available from the front door of the airport to the gate.<\/p>\n

As construction continues, airport officials say the app is intended to make sure blind and visually impaired travelers can still navigate the changing building and reach their destinations with support from a live guide.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Through Aira, travelers can call a live guide to read signs, describe crowds and direct them around ongoing…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":48319,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[132,134,133],"class_list":["post-376368","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-austin","tag-austin","tag-austin-headlines","tag-austin-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/376368","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=376368"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/376368\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/48319"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=376368"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=376368"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=376368"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}