Orlando International Airport welcomes 1st transatlantic flight since pandemic's start
ORLANDO, Fla. - For the first time since the start of the pandemic last year, Florida’s busiest airport was welcoming a transatlantic flight.
A Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt, Germany was expected Wednesday evening at the Orlando International Airport. Airport officials said the flight was an indicator that travel was returning to normal after a year of disruption caused by the pandemic.
"It is a milestone for us here at Orlando International Airport," said Phil Brown, CEO of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority.
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Meanwhile, airport officials said the Memorial Day weekend travel volume approached what was considered normal in past non-pandemic years. More than 360,000 travelers departed Orlando International Airport during a six-day holiday period last week, airport officials said.
That figure marked just a 12% decline from the holiday travel over the Memorial Day period two years ago, airport officials said.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.