In March 2019, British Airways announced it was returning nonstop round-trip service to Heathrow Airport from Pittsburgh on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which began the following April. Simon Brooks, an executive at British Airways, noted, "Pittsburgh is the perfect example of a city that is really prospering in so many different industries and whether it is tech or health care, the amount of universities and the amount of education programs you have here, so many great compelling reasons on a corporate but also on a vacation and leisure angle as well." He also hoped that Pittsburgh residents would use the direct route to Heathrow to connect to more international destinations, specifically noting Germany, Italy, and India. Allegheny County executive Rich Fitzgerald noted that British Airways would be receiving $3,000,000 in state tax dollars, but stated the region would receive a $57,000,000 economic boost because of British Airways' return.