If Austin Bergstrom International Airport (ABIA) seemed crowded last time you flew, there’s a reason for that: ABIA announced a record travel year for 2011, with over nine million total travelers. That’s a five percent bump over last year’s takeoffs and departures.
Southwest Airlines leads the pack, with 3,325,925 passengers served out of ABIA. American Airlines came in second at 1,867,087.
Cargo moving in and out of ABIA totaled a whopping 153,371,030 pounds. You can read more about the airport’s big year here. “This is really a good reflection of the economy in Austin,” says airport spokesperson Jim Halbrook.
ABIA saw some changes last year, with the installation of a cell phone waiting area, and more controversially, the arrival of “body scanning” screening technology.
