If You Build It, They Will Come
Bradley international Airport Introduces a New Transatlantic Flight
CL&P President Ray Necci helpsmark the first transatlantic flight
from Bradley International Airport.
July 1, 2007 marked the official opening of an exciting new avenue of economic opportunity in southern New England, when Northwest Airlines flew its first transatlantic flight from Bradley International Airport, in Windsor Locks, CT, to Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. Aboard the inaugural flight were approximately 60 members of the Connecticut and Western Massachusetts professional community, including Ray Necci, president and chief operating officer of CL&P and Yankee Gas. Along with Necci were representatives from Webster Bank, Hartford Financial Services, Ernst & Young, Dutch financial services company, ING, and several others.
In Amsterdam, the delegates embarked upon an agenda full of networking opportunities aimed at both promoting the new Bradley International travel channel, and encouraging foreign direct investment in the surrounding region. Such investment (i.e., building factories, or other corporate facilities), drives economic growth through the creation of new production capacity, new jobs and new links to the global marketplace. Always an advocate of economic growth in New England, and always there to build the supporting infrastructure, Northeast Utilities sponsored a July 2nd business development reception for Dutch and Belgian corporate real estate executives and site selection consultants. Amsterdam-based ING insurance, hosted a July 3rd reception to highlight the new Bradley-Schiphol connection.
While this type of relationship-building takes time, several companies have expressed interest in reciprocal trips into New England, and those involved are optimistic. The Bradley-Schiphol flights are a joint venture between Northwest Airlines and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, who report good attendance on both outbound and inbound flights – and for good reason. Bradley Int'l offers a key location for all of Connecticut and the southern tier of Massachusetts, being right off I-91, midway between Hartford, CT and Springfield,MA, as well as about 2 hours by car from both Boston and New York City. And because Bradley's international flight schedule is still small, getting through customs is quick and hassle-free. On the other end is Schiphol Airport, a major European travel hub.
There is every reason to believe that the opening of this new link between New England and a European financial center will lead to the development of new business opportunities throughout this region. What's more, while Bradley's transatlantic flight may be a boon for local businesses, it's a pretty good deal for the pleasure traveler too. Pack those bags!
