British Airways will increase flights from Nashville next summer, offering daily service from Nashville International Airport to London Heathrow.

The daily service will begin March 31 and adds flights on Thursdays and Sundays. The flight will be operated by the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, an aircraft that seats 214 customers.

“We’re delighted to be offering daily services next summer between Nashville and London," said Simon Brooks, British Airways’ senior vice president sales, North America. "Thank you to the city, airport officials and everyone involved in making this happen."

British Airways launched its nonstop flight to London in May, offering the flight five days a week. The new international flight has been welcomed as a major benefit to the region's tourism market and business sector.

"British Airways launched its highly anticipated nonstop service from BNA to Heathrow Airport just five months ago, and the response and support from the community has been incredible," said Doug Kreulen, Nashville International Airport president and CEO. "This is great for Middle Tennessee, and British Airways' investment into our community speaks volumes to the growing connection between Nashville and London."

London travel is composed of about 55 percent business travelers and 45 percent leisure, Kreulen said in May.

Nashville airport spokeswoman Shannon Sumrall said the British Airways flight to London had reached capacity levels in the past five months that were expected in its third year. Citing the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp., she said the London flight had generated an economic impact of $13.6 million for Nashville through Aug. 4.

The increased service marks a departure from Nashville's previous attempt to offer a direct flight to London. In 1994, American Airlines began a flight to London but canceled it one year later when the carrier ended Nashville's hub status.

Several Nashville companies, including HCA, Acadia Healthcare and Ingram Industries, have offices in the U.K., and those in the music sector are regularly flying overseas. In the past, they have flown through Charlotte, North Carolina.

The new flight is increasing the frequency of meetings between business leaders in Nashville and Europe, said Ralph Schulz, CEO of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. He said he had expected British Airways service to expand, given the business demand from Nashville.

"It relieves a lot of stress and activity from their trip," Schulz said. "It has created another convenient channel for business activity."

Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. CEO Butch Spyridon estimated the breakdown of domestic versus international travelers is about half and half. He said Nashville officials initially pushed for seven-day travel to London, and the early strong performance of the five-day flight prompted the expansion.

"It's huge on multiple levels," Spyridon said. "It sends a message of success to other airlines that might be looking at Nashville. It gives us over 400 seats a week that we can add to marketing. Times 52, that’s a pretty nice bump in international."

The Thursday and Sunday flight options are especially important for leisure travel schedules, he said.

"A long weekend in London now becomes pretty doable," Spyridon said.

Tickets are available to purchase on ba.com.

Reach Jamie McGee at 615-259-8071 and on Twitter @JamieMcGee_.