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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowA new London-to-Indianapolis flight will likely have to wait another year. British Airways this week confirmed the proposed route isn’t among those that will launch in summer 2022 as originally considered.
The airline had eyed a slot at London’s Heathrow Airport for a flight to Indianapolis, but routes to Pittsburgh and Portland, Oregon, were the only two ultimately awarded.
The proposed London-to-Indianapolis route was among several published in a larger report from Airport Coordination Limited, a global coordination service used by Heathrow to parse expansion and service plans for its partner airlines. British Airways had several open slots at Heathrow, which serves as the airline’s main hub, including another to Calgary, Alberta.
The flights to Portland and Pittsburgh will run from four to five times per week, with fares starting at about $665. Each flight will utilize Boeing 787-8 aircraft.
British Airways is the United Kingdom’s largest carrier. It also added a flight from London’s Gatwick Airport to JFK in New York City.
A London-to-Indianapolis flight would largely cater to business travelers early on, with the opportunity to add more leisure travelers once pandemic challenges subside. Two other cities within 300 miles of Indianapolis—Chicago and Nashville—also have direct flights to London through British Airways.
Analysts previously told IBJ the move was in indicator that a deal was on the table, even if not yet finalized.
“I guarantee they’ve discussed it … and I guarantee [they have] had more than tea with British Airways,” Mike Boyd, an industry analyst and president of consultancy Boyd Group International, told IBJ.
Despite missing out on the route for 2022, Indianapolis could still considered as a future destination.
Indianapolis International Airport officials did not return a call requesting comment Thursday.
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