NEW ORLEANS – British Airways confirmed it will resume nonstop flights between Armstrong International Airport and London Heathrow on Dec. 9. There will be three flights per week connecting New Orleans to one of Europe’s largest hubs.
In its announcement, the airline said that the direct flights to New Orleans “proved to be a hit with customers when [they] first launched” in 2017. Local officials and economic development groups heralded the service, which was the city’s first direct connection to Europe since 1982, as a major win for the local economy. The flights were paused due to COVID restrictions 20 months ago.
The return of the New Orleans service comes as British Airways adds many other U.S. destinations to its schedule. This followed the news that the US will reopen to fully vaccinated travelers in November after strict restrictions that halted transatlantic travel for more than 18 months. The airline has said that route launch dates are subject to change.
“This is an exciting time for British Airways and our customers as we see borders re-opening,” said Neil Chernoff, British Airways’ director of network and alliances, in a press release. “With welcome news from the US, we are dramatically increasing flights and bringing home some of our A380s to give our customers as many options as possible. Elsewhere across our network we are also adding additional services to destinations all over the world, to ensure our customers can take advantage of a much-needed holiday.”
