AUSTIN, Texas — American Airlines said it is adding and filling hundreds of positions at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) to help accommodate the growing number of flights from the airport.
American said it aims to fill 70 positions in fleet and passenger services in April and plans to continue hiring for all positions throughout the rest of the year.
The airline said it expects 530 peak weekly departures from Austin this summer. Compared to 2019, American has increased flights in the market by 119%. Since the beginning of 2021, American has added 34 destinations to its schedule at the Austin airport. Just last year, the airline had more than 3.2 million fliers in Austin.
At this time, American offers nonstop flights to 42 destinations from Austin, including eight international flights.
American's growth at AUS underscores the airport's overall growth as officials anticipate a record-breaking number of passengers in 2022 with airport expansion plans underway. Currently, the Austin City Council is weighing options on a proposed jet fuel facility that would add two 1.5-million-gallon tanks.
The proposed project is under scrutiny by residents in a neighborhood near where the facility would be constructed. They have raised concerns about the project, with some worried about the risks and potential issues a jet fuel facility could bring.
A spokesperson for American told KVUE that the fuel facility issue "raises questions" about the company's ability to continue expanding in Austin without facing an operational impact.
The city council is set to vote on a resolution asking airport officials to find other potential locations for the facility this week.
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