"If you're Norfolk International Airport, where are the international flights?"
It's one of the most common questions Mark Perryman says he gets from the flying public.
The truth is Norfolk International Airport does have the customs facilities needed to process flights from overseas, whether they're private charters or an emergency landing, so the international designation stands.
Watch related: Norfolk airport to finish new moving sidewalk, begin hotel construction this year
But it's also true that of the more than 40 direct destinations to which the airport offers direct service, none are to another country. The closest is a seasonal flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico — a United States territory — that came online last year.
But Perryman, the CEO of the Norfolk Airport Authority, says he believes true international flights aren't too far off.
"There’s a couple of airlines in particular that we are working very closely with," he recently told News 3. "I think we’ll see Cancun (Mexico) or Montego Bay (Jamaica) in the mix by one of our airlines very soon that already fly there."
And while service to the Caribbean has been a big goal, he says, Perryman understands that people have their sights set on farther destinations.
"If you can go from Norfolk to...say, like, we’re going to Germany today, that would be great," Newport News resident Lisa Hathcock told News 3 while waiting for her flight.
Watch related: JetBlue coming to Norfolk airport with nonstop flights to Boston
"The question I always get asked is 'When can we get to Europe? When can we get nonstop to Europe?' And that’s where I’m going out on [an] educational campaign," Perryman said.
Last week, Perryman appeared in front of the Norfolk City Council to promote what would essentially be a regional pitch to airlines that, yes, Hampton Roads is able to support direct flights to Europe. Airport spokesman Chris Jones says the CEO took the same presentation to leaders in Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, with plans to also meet with regional organizations and other stakeholders.
The presentation includes federal data showing Norfolk as one of the top unserved U.S. markets when it comes to transatlantic flights.
However, there are also multiple barriers ORF is facing: For one, Jones says it's unlikely that larger carriers like Delta, American and United Airlines will pass up their East Coast hubs to bring European flights to Norfolk. That likely means having to compete with other metropolitan areas to attract new international carriers to Norfolk.
"We can easily fill a plane up twice a week to one of the European hubs, whether it’s Dublin on Aer Lingus, Lufthansa into Frankfurt, some other carrier into Paris or London. That’s what we’re targeting right now," Perryman said. "We’re not competing as individual cities. We’re competing as a region, as a metropolitan area, with other metropolitan areas, like the Indianapolises, Cincinnati, Kansas City. Those are our competitors."
Watch related: Norfolk airport sets new passenger record in 2024 — again
Part of the effort to stand out is already taking shape with the construction of a new international arrivals facility to expand the Norfolk airport's U.S. Customs operation, but, in the world of business, money talks.
"We’re talking we need millions of dollars in backing," Perryman told News 3. "It’s not necessarily that (the) check is being written. It’s a backing that says, 'we will back you if what we’re telling you is wrong.'"
As in a financial incentive for the airlines should Norfolk not be able to fill the seats of an international route, limiting the carrier's risk.
According to Perryman's presentation to Norfolk City Council, some regions are already offering money — up to $19 million from Indianapolis, for example. But he also says most of that money came from the state of Indiana. ORF is taking its pitch to Richmond to do the same.
Watch related: Norfolk airport authority discusses agreement with Uber
"We need the state, the commonwealth, and we’re actually going to be talking to them in this legislative session about increasing the governor’s airline incentive program. Right now, they have a pool of about $800,000 a year for all the airports in the commonwealth," said Perryman, insisting that more funding is needed.
But the bottom line is that he believes the demand is there to fly direct to Europe. His question to airlines is "What’s it going to take to get you here?"
Next month, Jones says he will be a part of a small delegation from Norfolk International Airport to attend a conference to meet with at least a dozen airlines and make the pitch to bring them to Hampton Roads.
