AUS extends a helping hand (for a price)

A new service called SkySquad may make holiday travel a little smoother for passengers at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. The SkySquad service, which starts at $49/hour, “connects passengers with a trained, pre-vetted airport assistant to provide an extra pair of hands from the curbside to their gate (from ticketing, checking bags, loading items onto the security belt, keeping an eye on travel items when they go to the restroom and more),” according to a news release from AUS. SkySquad launches on Nov. 21, just ahead of Thanksgiving, which is expected to bring record crowds to the airport. Passengers are advised to book SkySquad 24 hours in advance.