This stat may surprise you: Austin’s airport sees more diverted flights than any other airport in the country.
In 2019 there were 574 diversions to Austin. From May through August the airport saw an average of about 50 diversions per month over the past 15 years. Summer thunderstorms are a driver. There are (4) reasons more flights divert to Austin than any other airport.
Though Qantas doesn’t serve Austin (!) we received a Qantas diversion from DFW earlier this month.
We had an unexpected but exciting visitor yesterday! @Qantas made a diversion from @DFWAirport.
✈️Fun Fact: AUS receives more diversions than any other airport in the nation!
📸: @keithreeves pic.twitter.com/GGANoiTKeq
— Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) (@AUStinAirport) August 11, 2022
When Austin’s airport was an Air Force base it was visited by a Concorde (1979) and by modified Boeing 747s carrying the Space Shuttle Columbia (1981) and Discovery (1985). Nonetheless there’s work to do to get passengers off of planes. There’s room to park, but that doesn’t get them inside the terminal expeditiusly.