Airport Workers Day: Celebrating Austin Aviation

The City of Austin’s Aviation Department, Austin Aviation, works year-round to keep Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) running safely and efficiently, making sure passengers can travel to and from Austin with ease. 

When people hear “Austin Aviation”, they might initially think of the teams they see throughout the terminal: Airside Maintenance, Facilities, or Guest Services. But there are so many others working behind the scenes, making sure the 4th fastest growing airport in the nation continues to soar. 

Leading up to Airport Workers Day on June 25, we had a chance to sit down with three such divisions within Austin Aviation at AUS: Fleet Services, Information Systems, and Finance.

Fleet Services Keeps the Airport Rolling 

Besides planes, there are many vehicles help shape the passenger experience at AUS.  From the golf carts that transport passengers between the Red Garage and the Rental Car Facility to the cars our personnel use to access the airfield to assist with aircraft needs before takeoff, these vehicles are constantly in motion.

The Fleet Services team. They maintain, repair, and manage every airport-owned vehicle, making sure the equipment that keeps passengers moving is always ready for service.

”Working in the airport is unique in that every day is different,” said Juan Chavez, Senior Fleet Equipment Technician. As they repair and maintain a variety of vehicles, Fleet Services works efficiently while taking on new challenges to make sure the passenger travel experience isn’t disrupted. 

“It’s a fun challenge because I get to learn something new, learn new equipment, and figure out how to fix it.”

Every vehicle plays a direct role in the airport experience. Fleet Services is all about keeping people moving across the airport safely without interruption.

Information Systems Keeps Us Connected

Every monitor, ticket counter computer, and Wi-Fi network across AUS is supported by the Information Systems (IS) team. Their work ensures the technology that powers the passenger experience stays connected, reliable, and running. 

From checking flight information to working with gate agents to change seats, much of the traveler experience depends on systems the IS team helps maintain and support, including coordination with our Wi-Fi provider, to keep passengers online throughout the terminal.

When outages or technical issues occur, the team responds quickly to restore service and minimize disruption to airport operations.  

Joe, an IT (Information Technology) Infrastructure Engineer, mentioned how as the airport is a 24/7 operation, so is the IS division at Austin Aviation. Team members are on call to troubleshoot network or system issues as they arise, working closely with airline and airport partners to keep everything running smoothly. During the ice storms earlier this year, Joe was on call making sure vital communication channels and networks were operational throughout the storm.

This work helps mitigate challenges passengers face when traveling. Regardless of external conditions, our IS team makes sure everyone in the terminal stays connected. 

Finance Invests in the Passenger Experience

As you might know, AUS is part of the City of Austin but operates as a self-funded airport. That means it does not rely on local taxpayer dollars to fund day to day operations or long-term expansion. Instead, the revenue is reinvested directly back into maintaining and improving AUS. 

That’s right, every sale from the over 1.75 million breakfast tacos sold last year goes back into improving the airport! And at the center of managing those funds is the Finance team.

The airport reflects more than numbers -- it reflects priorities. James, a Financial Analyst at AUS, mentioned that a big role of the Finance team is to allocate funds to inventory purchases, vehicle maintenance costs, and infrastructure projects to help improve the passenger experience while also making sure we have funds to handle unexpected situations or emergencies.

James especially appreciates his time in the terminal talking to passengers. There, he gets to see the work of his and his team in action, where every small improvement they’ve invested in making a big impact in shaping the passenger experience for the better.

Their work helps make sure the airport can continue investing in infrastructure, services, and improvements that passengers experience every day. 

Austin Aviation Keeps Us Soaring

When we asked what each person enjoyed most about working at AUS, it was a commitment to teamwork. Without hesitation, they easily gave shoutouts to coworkers, mentors, and other divisions who prioritize putting the passenger experience first.

“Working here is like a family,” said James. “Everyone works together to function as one airport, as one city.” 

Austin Aviation truly thrives on collaboration. Each team plays a role in the same mission: keeping AUS moving and ensuring every passenger journey runs smoothly.

We’re excited to commemorate Airport Workers Day on June 25 to celebrate the entirety of Austin Aviation!

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As part of Airport Workers Day, AUS will continue to share stories and highlight the people behind the operation through The Fly AUS blog at this link and across AUS social media channels. Follow along as we celebrate the many individuals and teams who help keep air travel moving every day.