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The last time a British Airways flight touched down in Pittsburgh, it did so at a far different airport and under far different circumstances than it will when the airline returns Tuesday after a 20-year hiatus.
On Halloween 1999 - when the airline ended its flight - Pittsburgh International Airport was a major hub for US Airways, handling anywhere from 18 million to 20 million travelers a year.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner set to launch the new service to London on Tuesday will find a Pittsburgh airport stripped of its hub, dependent largely on local traffic, and one that accommodates about half as many travelers as two decades ago.
So what brought British Airways back? Pittsburgh itself.
Between the region's growing economic footprint, the corporate ties between the region and the United Kingdom, and a burgeoning startup community, the Steel City was "a really obvious choice for us," said Simon Brooks, the airline's senior vice president of sales in North America.
British Airways, Mr. Brooks said, expects to see a profitable route, driven by corporate connections, tech and startup businesses, a robust leisure market and student travel to Pittsburgh's universities from London and beyond.
"We do not take these decisions lightly. We're not just comfortable, we're incredibly excited about what we're doing here," he said.
The airline is the creme de la creme of international carriers. It is so coveted...