Bradley International Airport announced the launch of two more routes in the past week, further expanding its coverage.
Airport officials announced last Thursday that Norwegian Air Express would begin to offer flights from Bradley to Edinburgh, Scotland starting this summer. The route will be the second trans-Atlantic service for the airport, as Aer Lingus debuted a route to Dublin last fall. And on Monday, Gov. Dannel Malloy released a statement saying that United Airlines will begin a seasonal nonstop service, running from June 8 to Sept. 5, between San Francisco and Bradley. The new routes reflect the airport’s recent growth and development, Malloy said in his release.
“It is undeniable that we are witnessing a period of significant growth at Bradley International Airport with the addition of yet another nonstop route to another major hub,” he said.
The flights to Scotland, which will begin on June 17, will run three times per week in the summer season and twice in the winter. For the first 100,000 seats, a one-way ticket will cost $65. That cost will increase to $99 after the initial introductory phase.
In the same press release announcing the partnership with Norwegian Air Express, Lieutenant Gov. Nancy Wyman lauded Malloy and the Connecticut Airport Authority, which was established in 2011 to transform Bradley into an economic hub. The new route not only opens additional options for travelers but also gives the Connecticut business community additional access to Europe and Scandinavia, she said.
Less than a week later, Malloy released another statement announcing the new United Airlines flight from Bradley to San Francisco — United Airlines’ premier gateway hub in the Pacific.
“This new route will provide multiple connections to destinations along the U.S. West Coast and to United’s international routes to China and business centers throughout Asia,” said Aileen Moriarty, United Airline’s manager of Connecticut sales.
Kevin Dillon, CAA’s executive director, said if the demand for the flight is high, the San Francisco flight could be made year round.
The CAA is waiving landing fees and paying as much as $200,000 for the marketing of this flight, he added. The CAA also agreed to pay $500,000 to market the Norwegian flight.
With the addition of trans-America and trans-Atlantic flights, Bradley — already the closest major airport to the University — became more convenient to students, even those who will not take the new flights.
“Since I am from Oklahoma, I have to transfer anyways and Bradley is more convenient to get to from Yale compared to Laguardia or JFK,” Veena Muraleetharan ’20 said.
Four of four students interviewed said they would like to go to Scotland with a $65 flight. Jane Huang ’20 said she would love to visit for an upcoming vacation.
Bradley is the second-largest airport in New England after Boston’s Logan International Airport.
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