RDU can’t lose for winning — let’s welcome a new aircraft, and a new airline
- July 20, 2023
- Posted by: Joe Milazzo II
- Category: Blog
RTA members,
It is a rare occasion that a community loses an international flight and ends up with arguably a net positive from an economic development and travel convenience standpoint.
However, that is exactly what happened this week.
RDU announced that our existing Delta Air Lines nonstop to Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport will end in late October — and that the Paris flight would be immediately restored by fellow SkyTeam alliance partner Air France.
The flight will be on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, which has a larger capacity than the current flight, and depart 3 times per week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
The flight also means that RDU will welcome our 15th airline, Air France, and its nearly 200 destinations.
RTA has supported and championed our longest international flight, the RDU-Paris nonstop, since its inception in 206. The Paris flight on Delta, and soon to be on Air France, along with other critical transatlantic nonstops including longtime mainstay to London on American Airlines, is good for our region.
More information from a Triangle Business Journal article this week.
Last week we received positive news about our existing intercity passenger rail service, both within the region and to Charlotte. This week we receive positive news about intercity air travel to France. Great news for a great region.
Let’s get moving,
Joe
Joe Milazzo II, PE
RTA Executive Director
