More than 25 years have passed since Icelandair discontinued its flights connecting Luxembourg to the United States via a stopover in Iceland due to economic reasons. In the same year, Luxair briefly attempted a transatlantic route, but that endeavour ended after just six months.
Since then, Luxembourg Airport (Findel) has been without direct flights to the US. However now, a year after the arrival of US Ambassador Stacey Feinberg, there is renewed momentum to re-establish a non-stop route from Luxembourg to New York.
Speaking to RTL, Feinberg described restoring a direct flight as a "top priority" for her mandate. According to her, "our two countries share so much, and it is important to make it easier for us to meet one another."
Talks are already taking place behind the scenes to make a direct New York–Luxembourg route a reality. One potential advantage could be the implementation of US customs pre-clearance at departure, allowing time-pressed business travellers to complete entry checks before taking off and thus saving valuable time upon arrival.
At this early stage, Ambassador Feinberg declined to share specifics, stating that she wants to keep the details confidential until an official announcement can be made. She admits having had a series of conversations, both by phone and video conference, between herself, the Luxembourg Ambassador, and other stakeholders.
Beyond the boost for tourism, which would benefit both Luxembourg and the US, expectations are high that a direct transatlantic flight would attract additional business travellers, particularly with onward connections to major US cities. Feinberg explained that many business leaders from both Luxembourg and the United States say they would do more if it were easier and faster to get there.
"The only obstacle is the difficulty of reaching each other", she elucidated.
The project has been met with enthusiasm in Luxembourg. Both Minister for Mobility Yuriko Backes and Minister of the Economy Lex Delles have voiced support.
As Delles noted, people sometimes forget that Luxembourg is home to many diverse headquarters and companies, both in industry and other sectors. This is why a direct connection to the US is so important, as it makes it "much easier for these companies to operate and grow their activities here in Luxembourg".
At Luxembourg Airport, Luxair CEO Gilles Feith said the airline welcomes the initiative, even if Luxair itself is not in a position to operate the route directly at present. For years, Luxair has been in contact with US carriers and is ready to help them develop this initiative.
However, Feith notes that Luxair at present does not have the aircraft required for such long-haul flights, but is "very open to partnering with other airlines".
Ultimately, the decision to open the new route rests with a US airline that would add Luxembourg to its programme.
