The Dallas Morning News
By Alexandra Skores
4:46 PM on Apr 20, 2023 CDT

An American Airlines employee died Thursday at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.

Austin-Travis County EMS responded to an incident this afternoon for a person with traumatic injuries on the tarmac. EMS pronounced the individual dead on the scene, according to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport officials.

The airport, in a Twitter message, said the incident happened just outside the terminal where aircraft park at gates.

A cause of death has not been announced.

This afternoon, AUS was notified that @ATCEMS responded to an injured airline employee who has since been pronounced deceased.

There are no significant impacts to AUS airport operations at this time. pic.twitter.com/yCbUvzhgVa

— Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) (@AUStinAirport) April 20, 2023

Fort Worth-based American Airlines couldn’t provide further information because the case is being investigated, but did issue a statement.

“We are devastated by the accident involving a team member at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS). Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and our local team members,” the company said in a statement. We are focused on ensuring that all involved have the support they need during this difficult time.”

Austin-Bergstrom Airport, one of the nation’s fastest-growing airports, has been the site of several high-profile security and safety incidents in recent history.

The airfield was the location of a close call between a FedEx jet and a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 in February that resulted in a congressional hearing and calls for better safety protocols for air traffic controllers.

In May of 2020, a man entered the runway and was struck and killed by a Southwest Airlines plane landing there, although it was unclear how the man got onto the airfield.