What caused the over 14,000-vehicle jam at Nashville airport, according to MNAA

The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority (MNAA) states that it is conducting a comprehensive review following traffic gridlock at Nashville International Airport (BNA) on Monday, which left travelers stranded and frustrated.

While congestion had cleared by Tuesday, officials told FOX 17 News that preliminary findings indicate that several overlapping factors contributed to what the airport described as an “unprecedented” backup.

According to MNAA, rideshare demand was 2.5 times greater than normal, with more than 14,000 vehicles moving through the Ground Transportation Center, compared to the 6,000 typically seen on a Monday.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation said when HELP trucks arrived in the area, they observed police had just cleared a crash at Terminal Drive, which TDOT initially thought may have been the cause of the congestion, but that was not the case.

NFL fans departing Nashville, the arrival of roughly 10,000 Autodesk Convention attendees, and the departure of more than 2,000 people from another conference also contributed to the surge. Some travelers reported abandoning their rides on I-40 ramps to make their flights, while rideshare users said fares surged from around $40 to more than $200.

David Plourde, in town for the Autodesk convention, said he waited nearly two hours for an Uber, then another 30 minutes just to get out of the airport once he was picked up. Plourde said the airport should've seen this coming and warned that this could impact Nashville's ability to host large conventions in the future if they don't fix the issue.

"If enough people complain to the convention itself, not the convention hall, but to Autodesk or whomever, they may decide to opt not to have it here again," said Plourde.

Airport leaders said corrective measures will follow a full-scale after-action review, including efforts to strengthen response protocols, expand capacity, and improve coordination with law enforcement, transportation officials, and rideshare companies.

“We extend our sincere appreciation to our passengers, partners, and the Nashville community for their patience and understanding,” said Stacey Nickens, MNAA vice president of communications. “MNAA remains fully committed to ensuring the safe, efficient, and reliable operation of BNA and will continue to take proactive measures to safeguard the travel experience for all who rely on our airport.”

Read MNAA's full statement to FOX 17 News below:

"The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority (MNAA) is continuing to conduct a comprehensive review of the traffic congestion that occurred yesterday at Nashville International Airport (BNA). Preliminary findings indicate that the delays were the result of several concurrent factors.

Contributing Circumstances

Rideshare Demand: An unprecedented surge in rideshare (pick-up/drop off) activity, approximately 2.5 times greater than normal levels sustained over 11 hours.

Initial data: On a typical Monday, the Ground Transportation Center would normally handle 6,000 vehicles. Yesterday, we experienced more than 14,000 in this period.

Event-Related Travel: A large number of NFL fans departing.

Convention Arrivals: The Autodesk Convention, drawing approximately 10,000 attendees, with an estimated 50 percent arriving by air.

Convention Departures: The Society of Corporate Compliance & Ethics conference concluded in Nashville, with 2,200 attendees, approximately 60 percent departing by air.

Corrective Measures

MNAA leadership has initiated a full-scale after-action review to:

Identify other operational conditions that may have contributed to the congestion.

Apply lessons learned to strengthen future response protocols.

Implement corrective measures regarding capacity.

Develop mitigation efforts for traffic impacts during high-volume events.

Enhance coordination with Tennessee Highway Patrol, Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, Tennessee Department of Transportation, Greater Nashville Hospitality Association, Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation and other business partners

Additional coordination with Transportation Network Companies regarding surge demand at BNA

Commitment to the Community

We extend our sincere appreciation to our passengers, partners, and the Nashville community for their patience and understanding. MNAA remains fully committed to ensuring the safe, efficient, and reliable operation of BNA and will continue to take proactive measures to safeguard the travel experience for all who rely on our airport."

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