Public and private funds are now all accounted for to guarantee the new RDU to Paris flight takes off on time.
Officials at Raleigh-Durham International airport say they’re excited about the daily Delta Airlines flight from RDU to Charles De Gaulle in Paris.
“And the success of the flight is already starting to be shown in some of the early bookings for that flight which starts on May 12," said RDU spokeswoman Teresa Damiano.
Damiano says $2.2 million has been secured to cover any shortfalls during the flight’s first year.
“The first year of a transatlantic flight is an investment by an air carrier of some $75 million. And so the first year is a pledge to offset some of those costs in order to get the flight off to a good start," said Damiano.
RDU will cover $1.1 million, and the other $1.1 million is guaranteed by a group of private corporations in the Triangle, individuals and local governments, including Raleigh, Wake County, Durham County and the City of Durham.
The Durham City Council voted unanimously this week to set aside its portion of the fund, which is $137,500.
The Research Triangle Foundation is the fund's sole guarantor.
The RDU to Paris flight will be the airport's second, non-stop, daily transatlantic service, joining the daily flight to London.
