In response to the projected busiest summer travel season in almost 15 years, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has introduced new airfield surveillance systems at four airports across the nation. The Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is among these four airports set to implement this new technology starting June 30.
These new systems aim to reduce the risk of runway incidents by enhancing the situational awareness of air traffic controllers. Controllers will receive a display of surface traffic at airports that do not currently have a surface surveillance tool, allowing them to monitor aircraft and ADS-B equipped vehicles as icons on an airport map. This will show runways, taxiways, hold ramps, and other relevant areas.
The FAA has noted that these new surveillance systems serve as an additional safety layer during the increased traffic period. The summer travel season of 2024 is projected to be the busiest in almost 15 years, and the FAA has put in place multiple safety measures to protect travelers.
In May 2024, Austin airport saw its busiest month ever in terms of passenger traffic, with almost 2.07 million passengers passing through. This marked the sixth month in the airport’s history to see over 2 million passengers, following July 2023, October 2023, May 2022, June 2023, and October