Southwest Airlines has announced a significant expansion at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), establishing a new crew base that is expected to create 2,000 jobs in Austin. The announcement was made at a joint news conference with Governor Greg Abbott and Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan.
The majority of the new positions will be for captains, first officers, flight attendants, and support staff. The expansion also includes plans for a station Command Center and a training facility for flight attendants. Many of the employees at the new base are projected to earn an average salary of $180,000 per year.
Governor Abbott and Bob Jordan were joined by Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, City Manager T.C. Broadnax, and AUS CEO Ghizlane Badawi during the announcement. Each leader spoke about the positive impact this development could have on the airport and the local community.
“This investment demonstrates our commitment to Austin and to our customers,” said Southwest Airlines President, Chief Executive Officer, and Vice Chairman of the Board Bob Jordan. “As the largest carrier at Austin–Bergstrom International Airport, we appreciate the vision of Governor Abbott and Mayor Watson in clearing the way for Austin to become an even bigger part of our future.”
“We’re laser focused on making sure people in Austin have good incomes, so they can afford to live and build a life in our city,” said Mayor Kirk Watson. “This performance-based agreement is a win-win-win deal focused on creating good-paying jobs for Austinites, strengthening our local economy, and providing more investment in childcare and workforce development programs.”
The expansion is supported by a $14 million Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF) grant awarded to Southwest Airlines. TEF grants are performance-based incentives given to businesses considering Texas locations for projects that create jobs and attract capital investment.
The City of Austin manages operations through its professional management structure with more than 16,000 staff members overseeing services such as budget preparation and policy recommendations (https://www.austintexas.gov/department/austin-city-managers-office). As a municipal government entity operating in Central Texas along the Colorado River (https://www.austintexas.gov/resident/about-city-austin), Austin continues efforts toward sustainable development while promoting diversity as one of its core values (https://www.austintexas.gov/department/vision-and-values).
Further updates regarding construction timelines and partnership details related to this expansion are expected in the coming months.
