Austin News

The airline industry is taking a hit due to reports of the coronavirus spreading across the nation. 

The number of people flying is dropping by the thousands. KVUE reports that fewer people are leaving Austin using the airlines then they were during the same time last year. Recently, the exact numbers were released by the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on March 24.

Passenger traffic has dropped significantly due to the guidance given by officials to utilize the social distancing strategy. The social distancing strategy was put in place to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. That puts a strain on airline companies. 

For example, on March 23, 4,468 passengers flew out of Austin-Bergstrom airport. During the same time last year, 15,661 people flew out of the airport. 

Bryce Newberry, a reporter for KVUE, tweeted out the latest numbers on March 25. The number of people flying is dropping due to the coronavirus crisis. 

"Latest passenger (numbers) from @AUStinAirport: Last year (3/23/19): 15,661; Last week (3/17/20): 6,780; Yesterday (3/23/20): 4,468

"71% year-to-year as less people fly during #COVIDー19 outbreak. Common trend at airports around the country," Newberry tweeted.

Margarita Skirabina, a Texas Tech University women's tennis player, says she wanted to go home to Russia on March 18. She decided to fly home after classes at the university were canceled.

"It was kind of hard to make the decision to go home," Skirabina told KVUE. "Life has stopped and I don't know what to do."

Bearden and her family feared that travel might be shut down. She decided that they "had to go."

"Once we learned how rapidly this thing is happening and that they might shut down travel, we were like, 'We got to go,'" Sabrina Bearden told KVUE. "It made everything a lot – what was supposed to be relaxing, a lot more stressful."