NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The leadership at Norfolk International Airport is looking to truly emphasize the “international” part of their name by adding nonstop commercial international flights.
While the name “international” has adorned the airfield since 1976, charter flights have made up the majority of the international traffic. The term means an airport has the capabilities to host U.S. Customs and immigration officials.
However, in a year where the airport is again expected to break records for passenger traffic, Executive Director and CEO Mark Perryman believes now is the time to make the push for a regularly-scheduled nonstop flights to a foreign land.
He said there is data to back up the need and airlines that are interested.
The only thing he needs: community support.
“This is where the community needs to come together and work with the airport on the international air surface, because we can’t do it alone,” Perryman said. “We market the airlines each and every day to get us to San Diego to more flights to Orlando or wherever. But the international really is going to take a group beyond just the airport.”
The airport has seen significant growth in the last decade when it comes to nonstop flight options.
In 2014, the airport had 21 different nonstop destinations. This year, there are 45. Perryman described the airport as “punching above our weight,” as it has more options than San Antonio, Hartford and Memphis.
But for international flights, the competition is fierce.
Airlines often expect cash commitments to secure new long-haul international service prior to committing to a U.S. route, Perryman said.
Over a two-year period, $3.5 million of Pennsylvania tax dollars has been given to British Airways’ for their nonstop service from Pittsburgh to London. In Cleveland, $12 million in incentives has successfully lured Aer Lingus to begin providing service to and from Dublin.
“We’re never going to get the American United or Delta to fly nonstop from here,” Perryman said. “They’re going to fly through their hubs. That’s their business model. And it works. But what we can get is some of the other airlines — Air Lingus, Condor, even maybe Lufthansa, are British air foreign flag carriers that want a direct feed into their hub in Europe.”
Thursday, Perryman revealed to the Norfolk Airport Authority Board that airlines have already reached out, interested in adding a service as data shows a consistent amount of travel out of Norfolk to Europe, via connecting flights.
Each day, roughly 70 travelers combined are headed to end destinations of either London, Rome, Paris, Frankfurt, Athens, Amsterdam or Munich from Norfolk.
“If you combine all that together, we could fill two airplanes a week to a European destination that then would disperse … out to other destinations,” Perryman said. “So somewhere in the 225 to 250 passengers, twice a week on aircraft.”
Those numbers don’t include those who drive to Dulles International Airport in northern Virginia or take Amtrak to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.
In order to make his best pitch to airlines, Perryman said he needs passengers to do a full-court press.
“Fly from here,” Perryman said, “because if you decide you’re flying internationally out of Dulles, you’re going to drive up there. That’s great. For Dulles, it actually hurts us because that doesn’t get counted in our numbers.”
He plans to lead the charge to build a Hampton Roads coalition for international flights.
“Tell your business leaders, tell your community leaders that you want this and that you’re willing to support it and fly it,” Perryman said. “That’s really what it comes down to. We have to build this groundswell of support to show the airlines numbers or numbers.”