It’s been long and winding road (including a 20-year hiatus), but Pittsburgh is finally getting a direct flight back to London starting on June 3 of next year.
Flights will operate four days a week, departing from Pittsburgh International Airport at 7:50 p.m. and London Heathrow at 4:45 p.m., Tues.-Wed. and Fri.-Sat. Tickets are available from ba.com starting today.
“We cannot wait to bring back our Pittsburgh route next summer,” says Marie Hilditch, head of North America sales for British Airways. “Today’s announcement is an exciting moment for customers wanting to plan ahead next year — to take a much-needed holiday or visit family and friends after a long time apart.”
The plane will be Boeing’s 787-8 Dreamliner, the newest aircraft in the British Airways fleet, and one of the most advanced passenger aircrafts in the world. It was built with technology and parts from Pittsburgh companies like ATI and PPG.
In addition to being a popular vacation destination, the flight is expected to create more than $50 million for the Pittsburgh regional economy.
“This flight is a big deal for our region, and we are so pleased to welcome British Airways back. I thank them for recognizing our regional renaissance and demand for nonstop service to London,” says Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. “The business and leisure connections between Pittsburgh and the U.K. are numerous and this flight will be an economic driver for both markets.”
The air on British Airways flights goes through HEPA filters every two to three minutes, which removes microscopic bacteria and virus clusters with 99 percent efficiency, equivalent to hospital standards.