AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- A nearly four hour power outage threw Austin-Bergstrom International Airport into chaos Wednesday morning, halting flights and plunging the airport terminal into darkness during the usually busy early morning hours.
The airport lost power around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, shutting down security checkpoints, ticket counters, and other airport operations. The outage halted departures from the airport, and some flights headed for Austin were being held at their point of origin.
Power was fully restored to the terminal just after 8 a.m., officials said, though additional backup generators were brought online in the 7 a.m. hour which got some systems operational.
Officials said roadways were fully re-opened around the airport just before 10 a.m., and a ground stop halting flight activity was also lifted shortly before that point.
Austin Energy officials said malfunctioning underground equipment caused the outage. According to the utility, all of the airport's power is delivered underground.
Travelers inside the terminal were being asked to follow staff directions; airport police were blocking the entrances to the airport campus, which caused significant travel delays along State Highway 71 and US Highway 183 along the airport's main entrances.
Despite electricity being restored, airport officials say delays are expected to continue throughout the day. Travelers are encouraged to check their flight status as the day progresses.
Wednesday's outage and the accompanying issues are punctuated by record setting travel through AUS. Last Friday, the airport marked its second-busiest day ever, with 34,611 departing passengers.