Birmingham airport 'in discussions' to reintroduce direct us routes

BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT BOSS NICK BARTON HAS RESPONDED TO HINTS THAT DELTA, BIRMINGHAM CITY FOOTBALL CLUB'S SPONSOR, COULD BE TARGETING BHX 16:56, 04 Jun 2025 Birmingham Airport's boss

has revealed he is in discussions with several airlines over reintroducing direct routes to the US after a major airline hinted its interest in the West Midlands. At the end of May, Delta

Airlines dropped its strongest hint that it was eyeing up Birmingham Airport for transatlantic services, with the airline’s chief executive Ed Bastian telling the_ _Sunday Times_ _that

“there’s a great market out of Birmingham." Delta is the official airline partner of newly promoted Birmingham City Football Club, a move aimed at expanding the airline's portfolio

into the UK. READ MORE: Founder of Birmingham movement attracting hundreds each week lives with past 'every day' There is huge local appetite for direct flights from Birmingham

Airport to the USA. Direct flights to America were running from the city as recently as 2017 and at one point, two major US airlines were operating services to New York from Birmingham.

Article continues below BHX CEO Nick Barton told BirminghamLive last year that there was "a reasonable degree of optimism" that Birmingham would be getting back its direct flights

to the US. Yet in his strongest suggestion of progress yet, Mr Barton confirmed that Birmingham Airport is in discussions with "several carriers" around reintroducing flights to

take Midland travellers across the pond. Mr Barton told BirminghamLive: “Ed Bastian is absolutely correct in identifying the strong market and appetite for US connectivity out of BHX.

"Data suggests some 45,000 passengers every week are traveling to the Americas, via other airports which is not only an unnecessary inconvenience for passengers, but a missed economic

benefit for our region. "We remain in discussions with several carriers around the reintroduction of US routes and given Delta’s recognition of opportunity from Birmingham Airport, we

hope that a more serious commitment on timings can be reached with one of them soon.” Currently, the only direct service to America is operated by package holiday operator TUI to Melbourne

Orlando. The nine-hour flight runs weekly and is a popular choice for holidaymakers and families heading to Disney Orlando. American Airlines launched a direct service to New York JFK in

2015. But the route was scrapped in January 2017. United Airlines axed its flights to Newark Airport in October 2017 due to "poor take-up". Article continues below Mr Barton said

he hoped Delta's recognition of opportunities from the West Midlands will materialise into a serious commitment.