AUSTIN, Texas —
The winter weather is impacting flights all around the country, including those trying to enter and exit Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS).
While Austin's weather doesn't have freezing rain or snow, that's not the case for everyone's destinations. Although flight cancelations and delays might seem like the airport's responsibility to resolve, it falls into the hands of the airlines.
The responsibility of AUS and other airports across the country is to maintain the facility, terminals, runways and roadways. When it comes to flight schedules, including delays and cancelations from weather, and communicating with the passenger, that responsibility falls on the individual airline.
AUS officials say it's very important to communicate directly with your airline. It's vital for passengers to stay up to date with the status of their flight, checking every leg of your flight if it's not a direct flight and checking on the gates it is associated with.
"This this winter storm is affecting the entire U.S. for the first time in a long while and conditions for most airports. Most of the time, rain doesn't stop them. You know, a light breeze and a minor frozen precipitation doesn't stop them," said Austin Airport Spokesperson Elizabeth Ferrer. "But this storm is proving to be enormous and having feet of snow everywhere and inches of ice all over and the most deeply affected parts."
If you do get stranded at the airport because of a cancellation or delay, some airlines will work with you on either providing meals or a hotel, but again, that will depend on your airline.
"If you do get stuck at the airport, you do need to go to your ticket counter. Now, if I know that normally if the ticket counter is overwhelmed because there's a 100 people that are stuck there at the airport, they're going to ask you to call the airline and make arrangements there," said Ferrer. "Different airlines will be generous about providing hotel rooms, not all. And it depends on how widespread these delays and cancelations are across the U.S."
Airports will also work with you to get your luggage back if it has been checked for the flight, but be sure to keep any essentials like medicine, your wallet and keys on you and not in your checked bag.
Since freezing temperatures and severe weather are expected to be around for a couple of days, it's also important to check your return flights. Any cancellations or delays could cause a ripple effect that would impact your trip home.