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If you're in need of a vacation, the Aloha state could be your next destination. Hawaiian Airlines announced it will start having non-stop direct flights from Austin to Honolulu.
Starting April 21, Austin will become the first south-central city in the country part of the Hawaiian Airlines network. The airline will fly from AUS to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport twice weekly all year long. According to the companies website, the flights will takeoff Wednesday and Fridays at 10 a.m. and Thursdays and Sundays at 10:10 a.m.
It is no surprise that Hawaiian Airlines has chosen Austin as one of the cities to provide nonstop service to Honolulu. Without a nonstop flight, Austin was the third largest city with an unserved domestic market in air travel from Hawaii.
Due to the pandemic, air travel around the world has significantly gone down. Passenger traffic is still way down from last year at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, but the airport could start seeing a change in traffic as more get comfortable flying into the new year with a COVID-19 vaccine almost ready for distribution.
In a news release by Hawaiian Airlines, AUS executive director Jacqueline Yaft said the airport is hoping to provide an easy service to passengers.
"Even though this year has had unprecedented impacts to the airline and airport industries, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport remains committed to providing the best service we can to our passengers," Yaft said. "We know that many Central Texans will be eager to travel next year and we are excited to offer an easy and convenient way for them to explore Hawai'i."
Travelers to Hawaii must have a negative COVID-19 test prior to arrival. Anyone arriving in Hawaii without a negative result is subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine.
Tickets to Honolulu are already on sale, so Austinites can pack their bag and start planning their perfect 2021 vacation.
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Austin FC couldn't find the stamina to fight off a 2-0 loss against LAFC for their inaugural match on Saturday.
The match, which saw No. 21 Austin FC go head-to-head with No. 2 LAFC in Los Angeles, was broadcast nationally on FOX and FOX Deportes.
Salute the support. 👏
It's only the beginning for @AustinFC. pic.twitter.com/TduorqYr2y
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 18, 2021
Eleven players took the stage as Austin FC players for the first time, with five starters making their MLS debut. "Ringleader" Alex Ring took the captain's armband and wore it well. The defensive midfielder could be seen leading his teammates through their first ever match, but it wasn't enough to stage an Austin takeover in LA.
In the signature style of Head Coach Josh Wolff, the team played with quickness and intensity, nearly connecting on several fast breaks. It was harder for them to stay in front, however, something that Wolff credits with quick decision making and a tough LAFC defense.
"We have a quick attacking team, but I think when you make quick attacks and it fizzles it's just about some decision making," Wolff said. "Are we in position to finish attacks? If not, can we reestablish our attack and get stuff better?"
The club was given some generous breaks from No. 2 LAFC, who had one or both of their star DPs out for the half. While forward Diego Rossi is out for the entire match due to a hamstring injury, Carlos Vela was accidentally pulled too soon on what turned out to be a miscommunication.
"He gave us the sign that he needed to come off," LAFC Head Coach Bob Bradley said on broadcast. "I can't say more than maybe it's my fault."
LA pulled some dramatics and slowly gained more possession throughout the half, but ATXFC's defense wasn't initially as shaky as it seemed in preseason. Jhohan Romana has pulled his weight in getting the ball out of goal, and a 34-year old Matt Besler held his own in center back.
As the second half commenced, however, it became clear that LAFC had the advantage over Austin's first major league team.
Goalkeeper Brad Stuver had his work cut out for him, fending off 24 shot attempts, 11 of which were on goal. He didn't have much time to prepare, either: in the first 30 seconds of play, Stuver had already made a save to keep the match 0-0.
LAFC finally connected in the 61st minute of play as Corey Baird shot one into the bottom right corner. The team capitalized off their momentum and put one past Stuver a second time, drawing roars of approval from the LAFC crowd.
While some last-minute attempts from Jon Gallagher and others were made, Austin FC didn't have the endurance to bring a tie. After seven additional minutes of stoppage time, the club lost their first match 2-0.
While the scoreboard tells one story, Wolff said that the team did well considering the skill of LAFC and the pressure of their club debut.
"We've got to be realistic," Wolff said. "This is the first time this organization has been in front of TV with an opportunity to show itself and I think there were some promising moments. And we're going to maximize those and continue to try to develop those, but there's lots to build on."
The team may have lost, but it still won the support of thousands of Verde fans, dozens of which made it to watch their team's first match. When Stuver and the team made it to bthe stadium, Los Verdes fans were already there to show support, and Stuver said his wife saw the same back in Austin.
"The moment that we pulled into the stadium, we saw Black and Verde fans cheering us on as we got to the stadium," Stuver said. "During warm up, you can just look around and see different groups sitting in different sections of the stadium and it's just truly amazing to see the support in our first game. We know that we want to give the fans everything, because this we play for the city and we play for them."