No, it’s not an area where cell phones wait, like some people might muse.
A cell phone waiting area is a free parking lot at the airport where you wait until your friend or family member calls to say they’re ready to be picked up. That way, you won’t have to circle around burning up gas, waiting for them to claim their luggage.
It’s not exactly a new idea.
USA Today identified cell phone waiting lots as “commonplace” back in 2006. Such lots already exist at airports in Seattle, Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, Phoenix and Reno, just to name a few locations.
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport’s cell phone waiting lot will be located at 2801-A Spirit of Texas Drive. To get there if you’re coming from Austin, take the “Airport/Cargo/Service Entrance” exit and turn right on Spirit of Texas. Head through the four-way stop and the lot will be on your left.
The creation of this waiting lot means ABIA is ending a policy that allowed people to park free for 30 minutes in Lot A.
