NWA launches maiden Twin Cities-Paris flight

Eiffel Tower
Tourists and residents in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
Photo by CLEMENS BILAN/AFP/Getty Images

Northwest Airlines' today launches nonstop service between the Twin Cites and Paris.

The maiden 4,200-mile flight leaves at 3:30 this afternoon and will take about nine hours.

The service is being offered in partnership with Air France, which will provide Northwest passengers with connecting service in Paris to dozens of destinations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Dreamliner
The 4,200-mile flight connecting the Twin Cities will take about nine hours.
Photo courtesy of Boeing

Business, tourism and government leaders will mark the debut of the new international service in a ceremony at the airport this afternoon. Among the attendees will be Lars Lindbergh, grandson of Charles Lindbergh.

Northwest will fly Airbus A330-300s on its service to and from Paris. The planes can seat 298 passengers. And they are equipped with lie-flat seats and on-demand entertainment systems that offer a choice of 40 movies.