Hartford Business Journal

12 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | OCTOBER 18, 2021 By Sean Teehan steehan@hartfordbusiness.com B radley International Airport's only transatlantic route is in a holding pattern. Aer Lingus' much- heralded nonstop flight from the Windsor Locks airport to Dublin, Ireland, was paused when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020, and likely won't recommence for at least another year, said Kevin Dillon, executive director of the Connecticut Airport Authority, which oversees Bradley. Dillon, however, expressed optimism that Aer Lingus won't abandon the route it established in 2016, and about the airport's recovery in general. COVID-19 devastated air travel for more than a year and continues to hamper the airline industry, but Bradley actually added more routes than were grounded over the past 18 months. Since March of 2020, Bradley added 13 nonstop routes, according to CAA data. Six nonstop routes out of Bradley during that time were paused and remain suspended. As passenger traffic improves and international business travel recommences, Dillon said CAA will continue to woo airlines — including an aggressive pursuit of a direct flight to London — by highlighting Bradley's improving infrastructure and lower cost compared to hub airports in Boston and New York. "Throughout the pandemic we have continued to maintain our competitive position," Dillon said. "We are very active, we're constantly talking to carriers to try to convince them to put additional seats into the market." Flight scorecard When Aer Lingus started its nonstop flight to Dublin five years ago, Dillon, then-Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and plenty of others touted the route for providing Connecticut's largest airport with a foothold in Europe. "Having a direct flight to a European hub is so important for our business community," said David Griggs, CEO of the MetroHartford Alliance. "Having that kind of connection builds bridges between companies [on each side of the Atlantic]." The flight was considered so important that the state incentivized Aer Lingus' entry into Connecticut by providing revenue guarantees backed by subsidies. In its first three years flying out of Bradley, the state paid Aer Lingus about $10.8 million in subsidies, data from the Department of Economic and Community Development show. Under a deal with the state, the airline was eligible for up to $2 million in additional subsidies during the flight's fourth year in operation — the final year subsidies would have been offered — but the pandemic grounded all international flights during this period. Dillon said he isn't aware of any plans to further incentivize Aer Lingus' Bradley route, so if the airline wants to continue the flight it will take on added risk. The United States only lifted restrictions on European Union travelers last month, Dillon said. CAA had hoped Aer Lingus would restart flights in spring 2022, but now the end of next year is likely the earliest time frame. Dillon said he expects the airline will make a decision about the flight's future by next spring. In addition to the Dublin route, direct flights to Montreal and Toronto have also been grounded since the pandemic began, along with domestic flights to Cincinnati, Cleveland and St. Louis, according to the CAA. Since the start of the pandemic, Bradley also added 13 new nonstop flights, including to seven new destinations: Nashville; Charleston; Columbus, Ohio; Las Vegas; Norfolk, Va.; Pittsburgh; and San Francisco. On net, Bradley gained one destination during the pandemic, although the number of actual flights going in and out of the airport were down. Dillon said he expects paused routes will eventually resume. Additionally, CAA continues to aggressively pursue a direct flight to London, which Griggs said would be a boon to the local business community that includes multinational companies like Stanley Black & Decker and Cigna. "If you think about the business centers in [and around] Europe, London is definitely one of the most key business centers," Griggs said. "So for us to have a direct flight to London would be very important." Business travel uncertainty During the pandemic's darkest days, Bradley Airport passenger traffic was down 90% compared to pre-pandemic levels. But traffic has improved each month since this past March, and traffic was down just 13.3% in July, compared to July 2019. That's better than regional competitors like Logan International Airport in Boston, which was down 36.9% in July and Manchester- Boston Regional Airport in New Hampshire, which was down 31.6%, Dillon said. Turbulent Ride As air travel recovers, Bradley Airport looks to add new routes, restart others Connecticut Airport Authority Executive Director Kevin Dillon said he's confident Bradley International Airport will regain an important international flight as the airport recovers from pandemic- related groundings. HBJ FILE PHOTO

• Cover