In June 1995, American Airlines announced it would end its nonstop flight to London from Nashville, citing a lack of business and first-class travelers.

City and state officials who had celebrated the flight’s launch as an economic jolt just 11 months earlier mourned its short-lived existence.

“It was harmful to Nashville’s image, when you gain something and lose something like that,” said Nashville Chamber of Commerce CEO Ralph Schulz. “The question you have to ask is, was the market ready for the flight then?"

As Nashville leaders announce the return of a nonstop flight to London, this time with British Airways, they say there is no question now that the city can sustain demand for the flight.

Given the city and state’s thriving music industry, tourism sector and general business growth, passengers will be plentiful, a point Schulz and other Nashville leaders have stressed to British Airways and other airlines for four years.

Gov. Bill Haslam, Nashville Mayor Megan Barry and British Airways Senior Vice President for North America Simon Brooks announced the flight Tuesday, after it was first reported last week by The Tennessean.

The nonstop flight from Nashville to London is scheduled to begin May 4, 2018.

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The flight is seen as a game changer for the Metro Nashville Airport Authority and for the region, strengthening cultural and economic ties between London and Music City.

Pointing to Tennessee's top ranking in job creation from foreign direct investment in 2013 and 2015, Haslam said the international flight will lead to more Tennessee jobs.

“This is a big day not just for Nashville but for all of Tennessee because London is a gateway to and from all of Europe,” Haslam said. “Having a direct connection to London and Europe opens up Tennessee to even more investment and economic opportunities."

Schulz said when companies are looking to Middle Tennessee for relocation, access to international, nonstop flights is always part of the analysis. The chamber has watched companies choose Chicago and Atlanta instead because of Nashville’s international flight options.

“Companies that have been on the edge of Nashville, that view that as a real limitation, that's definitely a tipping point,” Schulz said.

The new flight comes as business at the Nashville airport is at an all-time high with more than 13.5 million travelers for the fiscal year ending on June 30. That marked an increase of over 1 million passengers from the previous 12 months.

As part of its planned $1.2 billion expansion called BNA Vision, construction is already underway at the airport for an interim international arrivals building.

Boosting productivity, travel quality

The nonstop flights between Nashville International Airport and London's Heathrow Airport will operate five days per week via Boeing 787-7 Dreamliner. Flights, starting May 4, went on sale at www.ba.com on Tuesday, with round trip tickets starting under $1,000.

Flights will depart London Heathrow at 3:45 p.m. local time and arrive in Nashville International at 6:50 p.m. The flight will depart Nashville at 8:20 p.m. and arrive in London at 10:30 a.m. the next day.

Scott McWilliams, a local executive at Paris-based GEODIS logistics and transportation company, flies to London about five times a year, and his company books 300 flights to London annually.

With a new nonstop flight, those employees will be able to shave several hours off their travel time, improving productivity and supporting the company’s overall growth, he said.

“We like to hit the ground running when we get there,” McWilliams said. “When you have to fly through these other U.S. airports, generally you end getting there and you are worn out and have to take a day to recover.”

HCA, which owns eight hospitals in the United Kingdom, praised the new nonstop option as a benefit to the health care sector.

“Nashville’s appeal as an international destination continues to increase, and it’s important for our business community to have access to London," HCA CEO Milton Johnson said ."This is good for Tennessee, it’s good for Nashville, and it’s good for HCA.”

Tennessee tourism businesses also stand to gain as shorter, easier trips will boost leisure travel to the area.

“A nonstop flight to London opens the door for millions of visitors from the UK and Europe, who might not have otherwise considered a holiday here due to the lack of a direct flight, to come and experience what we have to offer,” Ryman Hospitality Properties CEO Colin Reed said in a statement.

Securing the flight

A new London flight has been a priority for the past four years, but Nashville leaders grew frustrated as they watched other cities — Austin and New Orleans — secure international flights as Music City was overlooked, said Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. CEO Butch Spyridon.

Three years ago, it was widely reported that Nashville was one of five finalists for a nonstop flight on British Airways, but no plans materialized.

Feeling a sense of urgency, airport officials, Barry, Haslam, Spyridon, Schulz and several business leaders, including Johnson, Reed and Vector Management President Ken Levitan, formed a committee in December to better court airlines and began more serious talks with British Airways and Virgin.

Spyridon and Nashville airport's Director of Air Service Development Trudy Carson traveled to London to meet with both companies in April and British Airways visited Nashville in June to advance talks. During a 24-hour trip, British Airways met with business, music, state and city officials, who sought to expose them to the city's thriving and diverse economy.

In July, when Kings of Leon performed in Hyde Park in London, the musicians, along with Levitan and other Nashville officials, helped make a case for a Nashville flight at an after party with British Airways officials.

"They really saw, from that, another part of the Nashville music community," Levitan said. "They saw how important it was to the music community."

The next day, British Airways officials said they wanted a Nashville flight and a handshake was made that afternoon, Spyridon said.

“Nashville has all the qualities that we look for in a new destination, a fast growing economy, thriving cultural scene and strong connections to Europe,” Brooks, said. “We know British tourists will be excited to discover Music City and are looking forward to welcoming new customers from Tennessee on board very soon.”

Paying for the flight

The current state fiscal year's budget includes $1 million for the London flight, allocated in hopes the deal would go through. Haslam said another $500,000 would be dedicated to the project in the next budget.

Barry said Metro government has committed to a $500,000 stopgap for losses, should the funds be necessary. The airport will provide $500,000 in marketing a year for two years and waive landing fees, said Tom Jurkovich, vice president of external affairs for the airport authority.

“With Nashville as the leading economic engine in the state, this new service will be a difference maker as the city’s momentum continues on all fronts—business development and tourism," Barry said.

Haslam has previously stated that he would like to see flights from Nashville to Asia, such as direct flights to Tokyo, and he said he hopes this flight can prove that Nashville can support such international flights.

A second attempt

When Nashville landed the original London flight in 1994, it was a hub for American Airlines. American Airlines ended that arrangement with Nashville and the flight went away.

Levitan said he took the American Airlines flight to London frequently during its brief life and that the decision to end it was a significant loss for the city. "It was having the rug pulled out," he said.

Despite losing its hub status, Nashville now is seen as a destination and originating city, not just as a connecting city, Jurkovich said. The new international flight underscores the growth Nashville has experienced in the past two decades.

"We have a much different situation," Jurkovich said. "Our population is much larger, our economic conditions are booming. The Music City brand is much more international in scope."

Spyridon said he and other leaders sought to drive that point home when meeting with British Airways and he is confident that this time the London flight will endure.

"We are more than ready," Spyridon said. "It's a completely different city on every level."

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Reach Jordan Buie at 615-726-5970 and @jordanbuie on Twitter. Reach Jamie McGee at 615-259-8071.

About the flight

The nonstop flights between Nashville International Airport and London's Heathrow Airport will operate five days per week via Boeing 787-7 Dreamliner.

When: Flights begin May 4., and tickets went on sale at www.ba.com on Tuesday.

Cost: Round trip tickets startunder $1,000.

Capacity: The flight will accommodate 214 passengers in three cabins, with 154 seats in economy, 25 in premium economy and 35 in business.

All passengers will enjoy free meals and beverages, individual widescreen TVs, complimentary on-demand entertainment and a free checked bag.

Flight times: Flights depart London Heathrow at 3:45 p.m. local time and arrive in Nashville International at 6:50 p.m. The flight departs Nashville at 8:20 p.m. and arrive in London at 10:30 a.m. the next day.

The new planes also offer lower pressurization to reduce jet lag effects for customers.

Passengers who are members of American, British Airways, Iberia and Finnair frequent flyer programs will be eligible to earn and redeem points or miles from the flights.