will launch Portland's first nonstop service to Austin June 3, for the summer season.

The flights fulfill, at least until Aug. 11, the No. 3 priority of airport managers, who would also like to land service to Orlando and to Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C.

"We're expecting some strong high-tech ties between the Silicon Forest and Silicon Hills," said Steve Johnson, a spokesman for the

, which operates PDX.

Boeing 737-700s will fly the route, Johnson said, which about 93,000 passengers travel each year via connecting flights.

A plane will depart Portland at 8:30 a.m. each day, arriving in Austin at 2:20 p.m. and continuing to Dallas Love Field Airport, landing at 3:55 p.m. The return flight will take off from Dallas at 4:30 p.m., depart Austin at 6 p.m. and arrive in Portland at 8:05 p.m.

Airport managers are dangling carrots for Southwest Airlines. "Because this is an under-served key destination," Johnson said, "there will be some incentives involved that we are still working out."

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