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First Nonstop Flight From Silicon Valley To London Set For Take Off

SAN JOSE (CBS SF) -- The first nonstop flight from Silicon Valley to London, a long-sought destination for many workers in the tech industry, is set to take off Wednesday night, airport officials said.

The service through British Airways will bridge passengers from Mineta San Jose International Airport to London Heathrow International Airport.

The new connection will help improve business operations and travel plans for many tech companies in Silicon Valley that have offices in London and continental Europe, according to airport officials.

"It's great, said Simon Brooks of British Airways. It's such a great opportunity for us to work with the South Bay Area which has been growing sustainably for years now and we want to be a part of that story."

It's a dream come true for South Bay travelers like San Jose's Julie and Mel Matsushima, two of the first London-bound travelers to check in.

"What's it like to not have to go to San Francisco to catch a flight to London? Oh my gosh, we save one hour of misery, or even more if the traffic is crazy," said Mel.

"We live in downtown San Jose, so it took us about 5 minutes to get here," said Julie.

Another London passenger said avoiding SFO can mean avoiding lengthy weather delays.

"Down here, you don't get fogged in very much, said Brian Gonzalez of Los Gatos. If we're flying that far, we don't want to be delayed."

Business travelers have been asking for a San Jose to London flight for years. The 216-passenger plane will take off and depart daily for the ten-hour flight.

Mayor Sam Liccardo and Priya Guha, the British consul general in San Francisco, were expected to attend a speaker program and ribbon-cutting before the flight's scheduled 8:05 p.m. departure.

Liccardo said new routes to Europe and others to Asia are improving San Jose's image around the world, leading to new investments and future jobs.

"Whether it's London, or Beijing or Shanghai, it really presents a great opportunity for us to elevate our profile for international investment," said Liccardo. "And we are now really reaping some of that benefit."

The trip will be made on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which has 20 percent more fuel efficiency compared to other similar-sized commercial jets, according to the airline.

TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Bay City News Service contributed to this report.

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