Direct flights from Richmond to Europe are getting closer to reality
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The vast majority of the nearly 500,000 Richmonders who fly to Europe each year don't fly out of Richmond's airport, RIC spokesperson Troy Bell tells Axios.
Why it matters: That fact could help Richmond International Airport garner the support it needs to land direct flights between RIC and a major European city.
State of play: The Capital Region Airport Commission met last week for their annual two-day retreat, and direct flights to Europe was one of the hot topics discussed.
- "We have a strong business case for a European route for our current passengers and what we're leaking to Dulles," RIC chief growth officer Martin Rubinstein said last week, Henrico Citizen reports.
- "Unfortunately," Bell tells Axios, "about three out of four travelers" — or 375,000 Richmonders each year — "elect to fly from airports other than RIC."
Zoom in: Getting an airline to commit to adding a direct-to-Europe flight would most likely require financial subsidies from state and local governments, Rubinstein told BizSense.
- That's because airlines don't look at the "leakage" travelers when deciding to add routes.
- They look at ones actually flying out of a city, and which cities would offer the most guaranteed passengers based on current travel. And FAA regulations won't allow the airport to subsidize the route.
The latest: Subsidy conversations have already started at the state level with Gov. Youngkin's office and the state Secretary of Commerce and Trade, per BizSense.
- "We're well on our way to doing this," RIC CEO Perry Miller told BizSense.
Zoom out: The commission is comprised of appointees representing the city of Richmond and Henrico, Chesterfield and Hanover counties.