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Talk will Explore International Business Implications of The New Bradley Airport Flight to Amsterdam

Posted November 1, 2007

Last July, Northwest Airlines began daily nonstop service between Hartford/Springfield's Bradley International Airport and Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, a move that was heralded as a major investment in the economic future of the region. On February 19 this convenient connection to Europe and beyond will be the subject of an International Business Breakfast talk by David Downs, the East Coast regional sales director for Northwest Airlines/KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.

Downs will discuss the reasons that Northwest decided to expand its New England travel corridor through Hartford/Springfield. He will also present his view of the implications of this expansion for businesses in both the local area and abroad. The breakfast will begin at 7:30 a.m. Downs’ talk, Travel and International Business: Why Hartford, Why Now? will take place from 8:00 to 8:50 a.m. at Rivers Memorial Hall. The charge is $15 per person (free for Western New England College students). To RSVP, call 413-782-1231 or email ibbseries@wne.edu.

The Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council views international air access as a key driver of future growth in the Pioneer Valley. A convenient connection to the world is essential for Springfield to make an impact on the global stage.

The new daily flight is timed to enable single connections to 81 cities in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and India through Northwest’s partner, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. Now, for the first time, a European business executive can travel directly to the Hartford-Springfield market and arrive in downtown Springfield within an hour after landing. In addition, local business executives can expedite their own international travel by avoiding the costs or driving time of going to Boston or New York.

Downs has built his career in the airline industry, starting as a reservation sales agent for British Airways before moving up to the position of head of BA’s USA Pricing Department. Since joining the Northwest/KLM family he has held posts in Pricing, Revenue Management, and Reservations. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Education from the University of Florida and his MBA in Marketing from Fordham University.