After a multi layer effort by the government, business and tourism leaders Nashville International Airport is set to launch a direct flight to London on British Airways.
An announcement is expected to be made by next week. It is reported that Nashville hasn’t been a non-stop destination for London since the mid-1990s.
With a boom in the leisure tourism business stakeholders including the Nashville Convention and Tourism Corp. and Ryman Hospitality Properties had asked for the flight. To secure the deal chances are incentives will be included.
The key point of the announcement will be Gov. Bill Haslam, whose administration expanded the tourism marketing to bring in international travelers to Tennessee.
The officials of Haslam did not comment on a query. However, airport authority spokesman Tom Jurkovich said that he was not in a position to confirm or deny a direct flight to London.
Thirty years ago when Nashville was a hub for American Airlines, the city operated a direct flight to London. American Airlines ended that deal with Nashville and the flight was not operative.
There will be ‘Grand Ole Lobby’, upgradation with security lines and a new hotel.
Nashville was one of five finalists for a direct flight on British Airways three years ago.
The airport is already under construction for interim international arrivals building and has a $1.2 billion expansion plan called the BNA vision.
There is a surge in number of passengers with an increase of over 1 million, the business sector also saw an all-time high having more than 13.5 million travellers for this fiscal year.
