More Customs and Border Protection officers coming to Austin’s airport
The Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) will get more help processing foreign passengers and inspecting cargo. The Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) will receive additional Customs and Border Protection officers to help processing foreign passengers and inspecting cargo. The announcement was made by U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin), who said the current 15 officers were inadequate to handle the increase in arrivals. This has been an issue for years due to a shortage of CBP officers and major inconvenience to incoming international passengers and local businesses awaiting incoming cargo. CBP Officers also have responsibility for inspecting cargo and supervising five remote Foreign-Trade Zones vital to the local economy.
Publicado : hace 3 semanas por Sarah Al-Shaikh en Travel
AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) will get more help processing foreign passengers and inspecting cargo.
Four additional Customs and Border Protection officers will be stationed at AUS by this fall. U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin) made the announcement on Monday.
Currently, Rep. Doggett said AUS has 15 officers, which he said isn’t enough to handle the increase in arrivals.
For years, a shortage of CBP officers has been an obstacle to securing new international flights and a source of major inconvenience to incoming international passengers and local businesses awaiting incoming cargo. CBP officers not only process incoming passengers from foreign destinations at the airport but also have responsibility for inspecting cargo and supervising five remote Foreign-Trade Zones that are vital to our local economy.”
According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, CBP officers do the following:
• inspect merchandise, agriculture, luggage and people coming into and out of the U.S.
• work with dogs to detect weapons and drugs
Air traffic continues to grow at AUS. In 2022, the Federal Aviation Administration designated AUS as a large-hub category airport.
According to a release from Doggett’s office, that’s presented challenges in managing more international arrivals efficiently and securely.
“With only fifteen officers stationed in AUS, passenger and air cargo are experiencing significant, ongoing daily delays. This greatly inconveniences travelers and impedes the efficient movement of goods, negatively impacting the economy,” the release said.