London calling: First SC transatlantic flight takes off from Charleston

Updated: Apr. 5, 2019 at 12:31 AM EDT
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CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - The first-ever passenger flight from Charleston to London took off Thursday night, making it South Carolina’s first transatlantic passenger flight in history.

The British Airways plane landed at Charleston International Airport around 9:15 p.m., and departed for England around 11:20 p.m.

The plane is a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, but it’s not the first time the plane has been in the Palmetto State. A portion of it was made at the Boeing facility in North Charleston.

The eight-hour flight will be crossing the pond twice a week until the end of October. It’ll be making the 4,000-mile journey at the same times on Thursdays and Sundays.

Even before the flight, changes have already been made for British Airways at the Charleston International Airport.

A new in-flight kitchen has been built, a drop-off sign outside the airport already reads the airline’s name, and some American Airlines’ ticket counters will be changing their screens to check-in those flying internationally.

According to the Chris Campbell at Explore Charleston, “the flight is projected to generate an estimated economic impact of $20.2 million annually through new spending, job creation and other associated activity in tourism.”

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