Inside INdiana Business is reporting that in May, Indiana’s first-ever nonstop transatlantic flight, Delta Airlines flight 500, will take off from Indianapolis International Airport, destination Paris. Indiana Secretary of Commerce Jim Schellinger says the Paris nonstop could be joined by additional international destinations on future flight schedules. “We’re working on one right now for Asia that we expect to be done by the end of the year,” said Schellinger. “And after 2020, we’ll go back and look at Europe again.”
In an interview on Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick, Schellinger also talked about the state’s growing international profile and the new World Trade Center approval.
In addition to Asia, there is interest in potential nonstops to India and Germany. A nonstop to Asia makes sense, given the fact that more than 200 Japanese owned or affiliated companies are doing business in the state, including a major presence from automakers Subaru, Toyota and Honda. Emerging economies like India could be in play as well, with plans by companies like Infosys and Axiscades for major investment and new jobs in Indiana.
New nonstop service to attractive U.S. business destinations like San Francisco, Seattle and Austin have pushed the total number of nonstops at Indianapolis International Airport to more than 50, an all-time high.
Schellinger and other economic development leaders say Indianapolis International, ranked regularly as the top airport in North America, and increased interest from global companies, make the push for new international nonstops a natural.