Indianapolis Targets Transatlantic Service

Credit: Rob Finlayson

An incentive program worth up to $4 million has been launched by Indianapolis Airport Authority (IAA) to attract a new transatlantic service.

The Passenger & Cargo Air Service Incentive Plan is available to any airline providing qualifying transatlantic service beginning or announced by the end of December 2022. It has a cap of $2 million per year and is funded for up to two years, while total support for any and all qualifying airlines will not exceed $4 million.

“We are more committed than ever to increasing nonstop passenger and cargo destinations and resuming nonstop transatlantic service,” said Mario Rodriguez, executive director of IAA.

The new incentive scheme includes a mix of fee waivers and marketing support to aid in the attraction of new international flights, new domestic flights, new airlines to IND, and new international cargo flights. IAA said simultaneous multi-city expansion benefits are available, and incentives will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis.

“We have heard our community’s request to prioritize resuming nonstop access to Europe,” said Marsha Stone, IAA senior director of commercial enterprise. “Our tourism, economic development, and corporate partners rallied behind Indy’s first transatlantic flight in 2018, and now there’s renewed focus and demand around it as we emerge from the pandemic.”

Transatlantic service from Indianapolis (IND) was first announced in September 2017 with Delta Air Lines launching nonstop flights to Paris in May 2018. However, the route was halted in 2020 due to the pandemic.

The launch of the transatlantic incentive program comes as Spirit Airlines prepares to offer a new route from IND to Newark (EWR). Service will be daily from June 22.

David Casey

David Casey is Editor in Chief of Routes, the global route development community's trusted source for news and information.