Staff Writer
The
Raleigh-Durham International Airport is planning to add a new direct
international flight to Europe, which is good news for Triangle residents who
are interested in traveling overseas.
RDU already has a nonstop flight to Heathrow Airport in London, and the
proposed new flight would fly directly to either Frankfurt, Germany or Paris,
France.
This
Monday, RDU pledged $2.1 million to spend on the international flight. Local business owners and the local
government are being encouraged to match the pledge. Around $500,000 would be put into marketing
campaigns.
Direct
flights to Frankfurt or Paris would make it easier for Triangle citizens to
travel to Europe, the destination of the majority of international flights from
RDU. Outside of the benefit of easier
international travel, a second international flight could benefit the area
greatly. Within a year of the flight
being introduced it could potentially create 100 new jobs and put $25 million
into the economy. In a time when job
creation is very important, this is a huge draw.
Almost
150 national corporations have locations in the Triangle, meaning that it is a
prime location for international travel.
While Paris is a popular tourist location, Frankfurt is a major business
center which could influence the final location. Travel to Asia, particularly India, is also
growing at a fast rate. This means that
within 20 years RDU could add an international flight to Asia.
