Bring on the Brits: British Airways to Fly Non-Stop to Las Vegas in October

British Airways will begin providing daily non-stop flights between London and Las Vegas, starting October 25, 2009. The planes will have 274 seats which will be capable of bringing 100,000 tourists each year. In 2008, Virgin Atlantic flew 287,146 passengers between London and Las Vegas, but Virgin flies from the smaller Gatwick Airport, while British Airways flies from Heathrow. The Heathrow connection puts Las Vegas within one stop of cities around the world, making it much easier for people to travel to Las Vegas.

The Las Vegas Sun reports that officials from McCarran International Airport and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority have been working for nearly ten years to bring flights from British Airways to Las Vegas. A combination of factors came into play, including the "open skies" agreement that allows foreign carriers to operate more easily between European and U.S. port cities.

John Laub is the President of the CEO-CFO Group.

1. "Air Travel: British Airways Bets on Vegas. Flier to Start Heathrow-to-LV flights in October." Benjamin Spillman. The Las Vegas Review-Journal. May 17, 2009.

2. "British Airways to Start Daily Service to Las Vegas. Airline will Become McCarran's Third Nonstop Carrier from Europe." Richard Velotta. The Las Vegas Sun. May 17, 2009.

3. "Vegas Officials Courted British Airways for a Decade. Air Carrier's Announcement a Boost for Tourism; Tickets on Sale Today." Richard Velotta. The Las Vegas Sun. May 18, 2009.