British Airways has announced that year-round nonstop service between Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) and Heathrow Airport will resume June 3, 2022.
VisitPITTSBURGH, in collaboration with PIT and with the assistance of Black Diamond, a U.K.-based agency, will ramp up international marketing efforts through the International Travel Collaborative to drive visitation and create a positive impact on the Pittsburgh and Southwestern Pennsylvania travel economies.
“Pittsburgh is a major leisure tourism destination, reinforced by British Airways’ confidence in the Pittsburgh market and our region’s renaissance,” says VisitPITTSBURGH president & CEO Jerad Bachar in a press statement. “We are thrilled that U.K. visitors will once again have a direct path to our outstanding Only in Pittsburgh attractions and experiences. This flight plays a key role in helping VisitPITTSBURGH bring Pittsburgh to the world and the world to Pittsburgh.”
According to PIT, the flight is expected to generate more than $50 million annually to the Pittsburgh regional economy.
“The economic benefits provided by nonstop service between London and Pittsburgh are far-reaching,” says Pittsburgh International Airport CEO Christina Cassotis. “We’ve said all along that it’s important that this flight succeeds, and we’re thrilled for a 2022 return during the busy summer travel season. Thank you to British Airways for continuing to recognize that the Pittsburgh region is back. We are looking forward to working together.”
The flight will again operate four days a weekz—Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays—on the Boeing 787-8 Dreamline, departing from London Heathrow at 4:45 p.m. local time and landing in Pittsburgh at 7:50 p.m. local time. The return flight will depart Pittsburgh at 9:50 p.m., arriving in London at 10:10 a.m. the following day.
British Airways first resumed service to Pittsburgh in 2019 following a 20-year hiatus. Though the flight operated successfully for a year, pandemic-related travel restrictions forced the flight’s suspension in 2020.
British Airways has introduced a number of measures to enhance the safety and wellbeing of its customers and crew. These include social distancing, the wearing of facemasks and hand sanitizer stations. The airline is cleaning all key surfaces including seats, screens, seat buckles and tray tables after every flight and each aircraft is completely cleaned from nose to tail every day. The air on all British Airways flights is recycled once every two to three minutes through HEPA filters, which remove microscopic bacteria and virus clusters with more than 99 percent efficiency, equivalent to hospital operating standards.
In addition, PIT’s Safe Travels initiative commits to the highest in public health and safety standards. The initiative, in accordance with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, outlines best practices for keeping travelers healthy. Covid-19 testing options are available at PIT both pre- and post-security through Tackl Health.
For more information, visit flypittsburgh.com.
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