Austin airport evacuated after fire alarm goes off, causing delay

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport was evacuated at about 7:30 a.m. Wednesday after airport officials said a fire alarm went off at Barbara Jordan’s main terminal, causing significant delays to passengers who had to wait outside the terminal and queue back through security. . when the airport reopened.

The alarm was triggered by a water breach outside the building where planes park to load and unload passengers, airport spokesman Sam Haynes said. Passengers and personnel were evacuated as a precaution while the alarm was investigated, Haynes said. The cause of the break is still under investigation, Haynes said.

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The airport announced around 8am that the fire alarm had been canceled and that passengers would be able to re-enter the building and be re-screened by security. However, some travelers said they couldn’t get back to the terminal until 8:30am or later and then had to go through the airport security process, which was subject to long delays due to the evacuation.

Austin Police Department and airport staff were on the scene to get passengers back into the terminal as quickly as possible, while still following security protocol, Haynes said. She said passengers were being moved to the airport parking garage to begin the process of re-entering the building.

Passengers who were evacuated to the outside area where planes dock to pick up people – called the apron – must be escorted through the terminal and back outside to where other passengers are waiting. According to airport policy, passengers exiting the building must be re-screened through TSA before being allowed to re-enter.

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“There are a lot of people and they all need to be re-screened through TSA. That’s why we evacuated them in the first place, safety comes first,” Haynes said. “We ask passengers who are on site at the airport to simply follow the directions of the staff.”

Haynes said airport officials also called on employees who normally don’t interact with passengers to come to the terminal and help direct lines and answer questions to help smooth the return process. Some passengers caught in the evacuation reported that their second time through security lasted only about 30 minutes.

 

For some travelers, the delay means the risk of missing connections and further disrupted travel plans. Stephen Arriaga was flying to Houston on Southwest with his wife and three kids, with a final destination of Costa Rica for vacation.

“It was very disorganized,” he said of the evacuation process. “Even the emergency exits weren’t marked well.”

Once outside, Arriaga said confusion reigned, even among TSA agents and various airport personnel. He also said there was no place for elderly passengers or disabled people to sit.

                                                                                                         

Once back inside, Arriaga said he had no idea whether to make his flight to Houston or his connecting flight.

“We have no idea what will happen,” he said.

Haynes said airlines would adjust their flight schedules to accommodate the delays caused by the alarm. Passengers who have flights scheduled for later today should check online for possible new flight times before departing for the airport, she said.

Before the alarm went off, the airport had a quiet morning with no long lines. Bergstrom has struggled with crowds this year as the facility struggles to meet growing demand for travel.