North Carolina government and local businesses have raised $1.1 million for the venture in the hopes for a high return on the investment, according to an RDU press release.
Expanding air service by a single international flight translates to more than 100 new jobs and $25 million being pumped into the Triangle area in the first year, said Michael Walden, an N.C. State University graduate economics professor, who calculated those numbers in 2014.
Walden said in the press release that one new direct flight overseas would increase regional GDP by $1.4 billion and provide 14,000 new jobs over 25 years.
RDU will additionally waive fees during the flight’s premier year, thanks to a $1.25 million contribution from the Airport Authority.
To test the popularity of the direct flight to Paris, RDU plans to send Boeing 757-200 models, mid-sized aircrafts.
Roland Dai, a flight expert who books trips for the travel website Flightfox.com, said as Paris is one of the closest European hubs to Raleigh, it’s a safe choice for the expansion because RDU can use mid-sized aircrafts instead of investing in larger planes.
RDU’s other transatlantic flight, which goes to London, was a product of pharmaceutical business and led to initial flight subsidies, Dai said.
“Eventually the route was preforming strong enough that, basically, the airlines upgraded on their own,” he said.
