Survey: Area Businesses Want International Flights from Bradley

A survey of 19 area businesses indicates that there is an interest for transatlantic flights from .

Kevin Dillon executive director of  the Connecticut Airport Authority, said the survey is an effort to reach out to passengers and gather information on what flights they would want from Bradley.

According to the survey results, the companies spend about $22.8 million annually on transatlantic flights, Dillon told the CAA board of directors at its meeting Thursday. Six of those companies account for more than 90 percent of that spending.

The companies indicated that they would be interested in direct flights to European locations such as London, Amsterdam, Frankfort and Paris, Dillon said. The companies said they would be willing to fly from Bradley, he added.

CAA officials said they also want to see if there is commitment from area businesses to use flights if they are created.

“If we have X route will you commit X dollars in travel,” Dillon said.

The participants in the survey were recruited through the MetroHartford Alliance, the Economic Development Commission of Western Massachusetts and Northeast Utilities, Dan Carstens, marketing consultant for the airport, said.

As part of the agreement to get the companies to participate in the survey, CAA officials agreed to keep the names of the businesses confidential, officials said.

Dillon said the companies spend $39.5 million on domestic flights. The participants said they would like to see direct flights to Los Angeles,  San Francisco, Seattle and Phoenix.

Establishing international routes from Bradley has been a goal of airport officials for a long time. Dillon said he would like to take the information gathered from the survey and start meeting with international carriers about route development in December.

CAA Chairwoman Mary Ellen Jones said the agency has a few more steps to go.

“But to have this data to take to the companies is a good start,” Jones said.