Indiana airport works to add international flights

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – An Indiana airport is continuing to work toward adding a direct international flight and international air freight shipping after recently announcing that it’s adding two new domestic routes.

South Bend International Airport Executive Director Mike Daigle said there isn’t a set timetable for when the goals could be reached.

The airport announced the new twice-daily American Airlines routes to Charlotte, North Carolina, and Dallas on Jan. 18, the South Bend Tribune reported. The addition brings the airport’s number of nonstop domestic flights to 12.

The airport’s commercial offerings are expected to expand in June.

The airport announced plans for international service in 2014, and began construction of a new customs facility by 2015.

Most of the $7.9 million funding for the facility came from grant money provided by the Federal Aviation Administration. The Indiana Department of Transportation also contributed $436,580.

Construction on the facility was completed last year.

Daigle said the facility has handled 47 international arrivals.

“We’ve had flights from Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Italy, France, to name a few,” Daigle said.

He said attracting an international commercial flight has been a complex process and is still a few steps away from the negotiating table with airlines or travel agencies.

“It’s something we work on almost every single day,” Daigle said. “I don’t have a timeline for you at this point there are many moving parts to this and many partners.”

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Information from: South Bend Tribune, http://www.southbendtribune.com