Governor Northam welcomes Primera Air to Dulles International Airport

DULLES—Today, Governor Ralph Northam welcomed representatives from Primera Air to Dulles International Airport (IAD) in celebration of the carrier’s inaugural flight to Virginia from London Stanstead Airport (STN). The ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the launch of the first low-cost, transatlantic service between London and the Capital Region. Offering five nonstop, roundtrip flights per week, Primera Air’s low fares will make overseas travel more affordable and will open the door for increased international tourism, trade, and economic development between the United Kingdom and Virginia.

“Today, we celebrate the expansion of the important partnership between Virginia and the United Kingdom, as well as the increased connectivity that this new transatlantic service represents,” said Governor Northam. “We look forward to welcoming more British travelers as they explore our beautiful beaches, stunning mountain resorts, lively cities and charming small towns. This new service taking flight represents a key avenue for increased business and trade investment from the United Kingdom and across the European continent.”

International tourism is an important component of Virginia’s economic strategy. In 2017, 560,000 overseas travelers visited Virginia and spent more than $1.6 billion in the Commonwealth. Of those visitors, 80,000 were from the United Kingdom.

Primera Air is the latest in a series of new airline services launching at Virginia’s Dulles International in 2018. In 2017, Dulles’ international passenger activity increased to a record 7.8 million.

About Virginia Tourism
The Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) is the state agency responsible for marketing the Commonwealth as a premier travel and film destination. Its iconic slogan, Virginia is for Lovers, will celebrate its 50^th anniversary in 2019.

Tourism is an instant revenue generator in Virginia. In 2017, visitors to Virginia spent $25 billion, which supported 232,000 jobs and contributed $1.73 billion in state and local taxes. For more information about Virginia Tourism, please visit virginia.org.

About Primera Air
Primera Air is a scheduled carrier serving flights to more than 70 destinations in Europe. The airline is based in Denmark and Latvia and is part of the Primera Travel Group, which includes travel agencies and tour operators in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland and Estonia. For more information, visit PrimeraAir.com.

About the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority operates the U.S. Capital Region’s gateways to the nation and the world, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport, as well as the Dulles Airport Access Highway, the Dulles Toll Road and construction of the Silver Line project, a 23-mile extension of the Metrorail public transit system through northern Virginia. A record 46.7 million passengers passed through the two airports in 2017.