"Austin-Bergstrom International Airport turns five"

Sunday, May 23, 2004

ABIA turns five
By Amy Bowlin
News 8 Austin (TX)


It's been five years since Austin-Bergstrom International Airport became
the new hub for Central Texas air passengers. 

Air travel in Austin has changed a lot since the move from the old
Robert Mueller airport. More people are flying in and out of Austin,
along with more destinations and more nonstop flights. 

"The design better accommodates passengers. We have an upper level for
drop off, a lower level for picking up passengers. At the old airport,
it was fairly chaotic. Everyone picked up and dropped off on the same
level," ABIA spokesperson Jim Halbrook said. 

Frequent passengers at ABIA approve of the design as well.

"I think it's a lot more convenient. You can certainly get to the gates
a lot quicker than you could before. It's certainly a lot cleaner, a lot
nicer. For people that like to have restaurants, they have all that
here," passenger Grant Kuenstler said. 

The record number of people to fly through ABIA was 7.7 million a couple
years ago, and aviation analysts predict passenger numbers are on the
rise.

"When we hit 9 million passengers is when we'll begin preconstruction
work for expanding [a] terminal. Then when we hit 10 million, we'll have
to look at expanding to a totally new separate terminal - having a
two-terminal airport out here," Halbrook said. 

One thing that hasn't changed in the last five years is Austin's
attitude. 

"It's been a great way to welcome people to Austin. When you step off a
plane and you hear live music playing, you know you've landed in Austin,
the 'Live Music Capital of the World,'" Halbrook said.

ABIA marks the first time since the end of the Cold War that an old Air
Force base was converted to a commercial airport. The site had served as
Bergstrom Air Force Base for more than 50 years. 

The "Bergstrom" honors Earl Bergstrom, the first Austin soldier to be
killed in World War II.

To celebrate the five-year mark, the airport hosted a charity fun run on
one of the runways. The ABIA Runway 5K raises money for the United Way
Capital Area.


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