EASTMidlands Airport executives have approached a number of US carriers about the possibility of launching transatlantic flights.
Services will be possible when the airport completes an upgrade of its runway next year to allow larger jets to land.
Managing director John Spooner was in the USlast week and was believed to have spoken to a number of airlines.
Spooner is already involved in the US aviation industry through parent company National Express’ $35m bid to operate New York’s Stewart Airport. It expects to finalise the lease arrangements for Stewart next month.
Rival airports to East Midlands, such as Birmingham International, already have US flights. The link with Stewart would provide National Express with the opportunity of handling both ends of transatlantic services. Last year East Midlands handled 2.1m passengers, an increase of 13.8% over 1997.
Coupled with National Express’ Bournemouth International, the two airports contributed ú12.5m in profits to the transport group last year.