Logan lands another nonstop to Europe: This time Madrid
Peter J. Howe, Boston Globe, 2/2/2007 (excerpted)
Logan International Airport officials said yesterday they have landed a third nonstop flight to Europe in May, with five times a week service to Madrid aboard Spanish national airline Iberia.
The move comes on the heels of this week's unveiling of a new twice-a-week flight to Ireland West Airport in Knock, County Mayo, on Scottish discount carrier Flyglobespan, starting May 30. Flyglobespan had said earlier it planned to also begin in May daily service from Boston to Glasgow, Scotland.
Boston has not had regular nonstop service to Madrid in 22 years, according to the Massachusetts Port Authority, which runs Logan. Iberia offered one to three flights weekly between 1983 and 1985 before pulling out. The new service, starting May 6, will be on 260-seat Airbus A340s, Logan spokesman Phil Orlandella said.
The newest moves will bring the number of international destinations served nonstop from Logan to 35. Massport officials over the past year have been working aggressively to widen the roster of international flights out of Logan, particularly Europe, to increase overall business.
Iberia's website late yesterday did not list which five days the flights will operate or fares, and the airline's US spokesman could not be reached. Orlandella said that flights will leave Boston for Madrid at 6:20 p.m., with the return flight from Madrid arriving at 3:40 p.m.