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Bay Area eclipse travelers stranded in Austin after airport mishap led to 3-hour lines

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Bay Area eclipse travelers stranded in Austin after airport mishap led to 3-hour lines


AUSTIN, Texas (KGO) — Southwest Airlines says its operations at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Austin, Texas are now running smoothly after a mishap led to long lines and delays following an influx in travelers due to the eclipse.

Chris Feyling of Hayward was in Austin with others from the San Francisco Bay Area for the eclipse. He reached out to us Wednesday after his group waited in three-hour lines to check their bags, and then missed their flight.

Eclipse Across America: Millions of Americans witness a rare total solar eclipse

Feyling is still there and has been rebooked on a flight back to California on Friday.

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Those from the airport tell us the baggage line went out of the terminal and down the street.

Airport representatives say it has been very busy since after the eclipse.

Austin-Bergstrom International issued this statement Thursday:

AUS travelers have encountered longer than usual lines for passenger processing activities since Monday afternoon, just after the eclipse. On Wednesday, April 10, lines for Southwest Airlines check-in extended outside the terminal doorways and down the road, starting at approximately 10 a.m. through the early evening. The airport-maintained baggage handling system for checked luggage was temporarily offline for several airlines at around 10:45 a.m. This was expected by the airport authorities due to the high volume of travelers. Our teams responded fast and were able to get the system back online within minutes. During the 15 – 20 minute period the system was offline, airport teams hand-carried airline luggage so that our airline partners could continue to check-in their customers. Airport operations and all other airlines were able to resume normal operations in less than an hour.

Around 11 a.m., our teams quickly pivoted to provide face-to-face support to customers who encountered lengthy delays to check their luggage with their airline. While the airport cannot check luggage on behalf of an airline, we were able to help keep lines safe, orderly and manageable while Southwest teams worked hard to process all their customers. We are prepared to provide the same service and response to travelers and our partners at Southwest and all other airlines for as long as the high volume of travelers with checked luggage continues.

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Southwest Airlines issued this statement on Thursday:

First, our Austin operations are running smoothly today.

Wednesday’s situation was the result of the airport-operated bag belt being down for a period time and a high number of customers flying out of Austin. We encourage Customers traveling this week to arrive earlier than usual to allow ample time to check their bags before their flights. We apologize to anyone inconvenienced by yesterday’s issues and appreciate their patience as we assisted each Customer with their individual needs.

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Austin, TX

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Austin, TX

Camp Mystic warned of safety plan problems as it seeks to reopen this summer after deadly 2025 flood

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Camp Mystic warned of safety plan problems as it seeks to reopen this summer after deadly 2025 flood


AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas state regulators found nearly two dozen deficiencies in the emergency operations plan submitted in Camp Mystic’s bid to reopen less than a year after 27 children and counselors were killed in a devastating flood.

Camp Mystic’s owners have applied for a license to reopen the all-girls Christian camp in late May in part of the campus that did not flood. That has angered families of the girls killed, some of whom have filed lawsuits against the camp, and prompted several prominent state officials to call for the license to be denied or delayed pending the outcome of ongoing investigations.

The 11-page letter from the Department of State Health Services notes deficiencies that include problems with flood warning evacuation plans, use of an emergency warning and public address system, monitoring safety alerts and training campers on safety.

It was sent to the camp about a week after a three-day court hearing in the family lawsuits when several camp operators and staff acknowledged they missed official flood warnings, lacked a detailed evacuation plan and waited too long to try to get the children out. One of the camp’s owners, Richard Eastland, also died.

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The letter notes that Camp Mystic is allowed to revise the emergency plan. Camp Mystic officials said they would work with the agency to address the problems cited.

“Our priority remains the safety and well-being of our campers, and we hope to continue the nearly century-long mission and ministry of Camp Mystic to provide a Christian camping experience for girls that allows them to grow physically, mentally and spiritually,” the camp said.

The camp’s emergency plan was submitted as part of strict new guidelines imposed by state lawmakers after the deadly flood.

DSHS spokesperson Lara Anton said many camps have received deficiency notices ahead of summer opening.

“This is part of the licensing application review process, and most youth camps have received a notice of deficiency letter for their emergency plan due to the statutory changes and increased emergency plan requirements,” Anton said.

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Texas lawmakers have scheduled two days of hearings next week on what happened during the flood that ripped through the Guadalupe River and killed more than 130 people in all. Several lawmakers and the Texas Rangers, the state police elite investigations unit, visited the camp site this week.



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Austin ISD is under state investigation for celebrating Pride Week

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Austin ISD is under state investigation for celebrating Pride Week


The Texas Education Agency launched an investigation into the Austin Independent School District for celebrating its annual Pride Week.

A TEA spokesperson confirmed with KUT News the state has opened an investigation, but declined to comment since “the matter remains ongoing.”

The investigation comes after conservative State Board of Education member Brandon Hall, from the Fort Worth area, raised concerns in March about AISD breaking the law and working to “indoctrinate” students by celebrating Pride Week.

“It’s time to defund AISD and criminally investigate Superintendent Matias Segura,” Hall said in a social media post.

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During an interview with the conservative nonprofit Texas Values, Hall said taxpayers in his district were concerned about state funding going into a district where “instead of focusing on education they are focusing on gender identity and celebrating pride and things like that.”

“[If] we don’t stop it in Austin ISD, we are going to see more of this across the state,” Hall said. “We need to make a statement and set an example. We will not put up with you breaking the law.”

Hall stated that AISD was not complying with Senate Bill 12. The law passed in 2025 and prohibits “diversity, equity and inclusion duties,” including activities that reference gender or sexual orientation, at K-12 public schools. The law also bans the creation of clubs based on gender identity or sexual orientation.

AISD held Pride Week from March 23 to 27 with the theme “beYOUtiful.” Students’ participation was voluntary, and activities took place outside instructional time, including before or after school or during lunch.

Activities included displaying photos of students’ families, wearing wacky socks and sitting with different people during lunch. On the last day each grade level wore a different color to school.

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In their guidelines, district officials said AISD celebrated Pride Week during March to “show support” for the diverse students, staff and families. Officials also acknowledged that in past years the district had provided a suggested curriculum and had distributed swag to schools, but that this year it would look different due to “an ever changing environment.”

It is unclear what penalties the district could face. SB 12 states that any employee who engages in or assigns to another person diversity, equity and inclusion duties must be terminated.

This is not the first time AISD has come under scrutiny in recent months. In March, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton notified the district about a complaint regarding a violation of Senate Bill 8, also known as the “bathroom bill.”

In February, Paxton launched an investigation into AISD after students participated in a national walkout. The results of that investigation remain unknown.

KUT News has reached out to AISD for comment but has not heard back.

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