Reader comments
Paris, here we come! Salt Lake lands direct flight

I bet parents with kids on a mission in France are happy about this new route...

I would really like to see the News do some reporting rather than take a news release and make a big deal out of it. Let's see. Almost $2 million of my tax money is now going to help Delta fly to France. And the News reported recently how the Delta revenue was larger than expected. No wonder, with public funding like this.

What about funding teachers -- talk about long-term impact to a community. Or funding of health care?

All the fat cats will say this helps tax revenue and will increase business revenue. Get real. How much revenue will Utah really get from this $2 mil gift. Why don't you News folk evaluate and tell us the facts -- such as where this business revenue will help us in cold, hard dollars.

What it means is a sweet deal for Delta. Sure it's a big airline deal to fly from SLC to France. Who really benefits? Folk who can afford to fly. I can't and a whole lot of SLC area readers cannot afford to either -- except once or twice a lifetime. If government groups would stop giving away tax money at $2 or $3 mill at a time, it could add up to a hefty decrease in class size, better and more effective teaching and long-term benefits by having educated kids becoming productive and not just living on welfare.

I am very weary of all these "deals" that give me so many "benefits." But I guess to all the high-dollar "public servants" money isn't that important. They don't have to scrape by and watch their kids in overcrowded classrooms.

Good news that there in a direct flight from Europe into SLC but bad news that it involves Charles de Gaulle International Airport. That is one of the most badly designed airports in Europe. We live in the UK and would rather switch planes at Atlanta than face that misery.

Jimmy, I agree with your frustration over this government payout. It's hard to see a benefit worth $2 million here. If Delta thinks the route is profitable, then let Delta fully fund the route and reap the profits. As it is, if the market isn't really there, this route may create jobs in the SLC area that will be lost in two years when the route is canceled. That's the kind of thing that happens when government messes with free trade.

However, I disagree with your criticism of the News' article. The article does state the facts, including information from Delta and quotes from key players. The "facts" for which you're asking are not facts but estimation and speculation--leave those to the op/ed page. Maybe you mean you would like them to include quotes from someone who opposes the $2 million boondoggle, in which case I would agree with you.

Hmmm. I'll have to rethink my hatred for and disgust with the Charles deGaulle airport, easily the worst designed, smelliest, least friendly airport on the planet.

The Paris airport is fine. I have been in and out of there several times. I am excited to go without going through Detroit or NY or...

The french are very nice. You only have to learn one phrase.. parly vu on-glay? (yes the spelling is wrong). You ask them in their language if they speak yours. Wouldn't you be frustraited if some tourist walked up to you and started speaking a language other than english in your country and assumed you knew it?

As a business traveller heading to Europe 8-10 times per year this is great news. CDG is disorganized and prone to labor strkies, but from there you can jump to almost anywhere else in Europe in an hour or an hour and a half. 2 hours to Athens and less than 3 to Cairo or Jerusalem. Air france is a delta Partner, so this is a good strategic move for Delta also. This is a good use of tax incentives as it will bring Europeans here if the dollar is still weak next year. They will come year round to ski and visit red rock country.

Classic short sided thinking in the comments about "giving" away tax revenues above. Since you are so big on education, feel free to sign up for an economics class at your local community college. You just may end up learning something as you sit in the outdated classrooms and listen to an underpaid professor.

Good for Delta dna good for SLC!! It is so frustrating to read the comments of some that are so myopic in their views and never think outside of their Utah bubble. I hope that Delta continues to add more international flights from SLC in WOULD be a great benefit to us all, despite what some may say.

I have "great reservations" (no pun intended!) concerning the direct flights from Paris, France to Salt Lake City and visa versa.... There is much unrest in Paris these days, and I would hate to see any of the crimes associated with it, come into our city. I have many relatives who live in Europe, and of the ones that live in France, we hear the most concerns regarding threats, protests, car fires, fights and conflicts. Many of these upheavals are between the original population, and the Muslim communities. Are we SURE we want to bring this kind of "business" and "convenience" to our beautiful State of Utah? Frankly, it makes me feel a lot less safe!

These aren't mypoic comments about the CDG airport. I have to fly through there at least four times a year, and it really is as bad as everyone said--the only proper, normal terminal they had was the brand new terminal G, that opened about three years ago (and collapsed about two years ago...) I had one flight to Cincinnati via the new terminal, and in the process of marvelling at the open spaces, good seating, and overall huge upgrade in quality compared to its other dank, smelly, no-seating terminals, I NOTICED THE HUGE FREAKING CRACK in the "new" terminal cealing! Two weeks later it collapsed and killed 4 or 5 people.

Those with worries about CDG have valid concerns. The airport has a horrific layout, has nowhere to sit, is filthy, and smells throughout like an open sewer. I've lived in Europe for 4+ years now and am no "country bumpkin", innocent to all things different outside Utah Valley. CDG just is what it is--a disgusting, poorly run, smelly, foul place. I'm upset that after FINALLY getting a long hoped for direct flight from Europe to SLC, it has to be Paris. Bleh.

I totally agree with Charlotte Van Tielen on this one. The people of Utah would be much better off without this flight. Think of all the potential risks involved here! Do we want to see people roaming our streets wearing Berets?? And we all know how promiscous the people of France are. What if this new flight causes the teen pregnancy rate to go through the roof?? We are opening ourselves up to "worldly people". Lets raise the state taxes, and begin construction on a "Utah State Border Fence". This way, we can try and ensure that no "unclean" or "unworthy" heathens enter our pristine sanctuary know as Utah.

Who wants to go to France anyway?

Jimmy is absolutely correct about needed improvements in education, and in less than 300 words he did a marvelous job demonstrating why. As has already been stated, he is woefully uninformed about economics in general. In addition to that his use of the word "weary" is sorely out of context, or (as I would guess) it wasn't even the correct word to impart the meaning that he wished to convey. I am guessing that he should have used "leery" or "wary." Those are just a couple of examples where one person was "failed" in their education. I simply wish that our society's educational problems were truly so simple that throwing money at them would result in solutions.

With respect to the article, even though a slightly different approach might have been more ideal from my perspective, I believe that this development will be a positive one for Salt Lake City and Utah in general.

The People of Utah should be thankful that Delta has made the decision. The $2M in incentives for Delta should be looked at as an investment that will be returned many times over in tourism dollars and other benefits that having direct transatlantic service will bring. Hopefully it will open eyes to the fact that there is more to this world beyond the Utah borders that they are missing out on. That is probably too much to ask for though. The pregnancy rate go through the roof? Are you kidding me? You should live behind a fence!

Now if they could figure out a way to get a route to Asia we would have a very nice, well rounded International Airport. Regardless of what some people think, this will be a huge boost to our local economy.
I agree that it would be nice to have this tax money go towards education, but the only way to have sustainable money allocated towards education is for the economy to continue to grow. For it to grow, the government needs to invest in long term sustainable programs like this new route.

I am really surprised that Utah would pick France over England or Germany. Who in Utah would want to ever go to France - the people are rude and they do not like us 'true Americans'. I have a feeling this will last for a few months and then be canceled.

Get real, Charlotte. Those people doing all the rioting are so dirt poor (hence the reason for their rioting) that I seriously doubt you'll see them buying a ticket to come and spoil our beautiful state.

As far as CDG is concerned, I'm not sure what some of you are talking about. Yes it had the unfortunate collapse of 2E (a couple of days before we flew in there) but as far as seating and cleanliness, you are up in the night. You are probably the ones who complain about their croissants having too much of a buttery taste over there. CDG also has the convenience of having a TGV terminal right in the airport.

I was in Paris in June. I had to fly through Houston and then direct to Paris. Coming back, I flew to Newark, New Jersey and then back to SLC. This was my first time out of the country. Paris was magnificent! You are right, however, CDG is the worst airport I have ever set foot in. However, the French were wonderful people. I had been warned so many times about their rudeness, and I was not looking forward to their attitudes. Boy was I pleasantly surprised! I did not have ONE bad experience while in Paris. I took in the whole scene....sights, sounds, smells, etc. It was wonderful. In fact, the only rude person I encountered on the whole trip was from a Delta employee at the Delta counter in Newark, New Jersey, when I tried to book an earlier flight back to SLC! I can't wait to go back, and the idea of a non-stop flight is appealing to me.

I agree with Elder Schmelder on this one. Teen pregnancies and all. Have any of the rest of you considered the horrific consequences of "throwing" open the gate and letting the French simply march in? Don't you realize these people drink wine at every meal? ...even breakfast! The women sunbathe topless and the men wear speedos. They use cologne instead of showering and they talk like Pepe Le Pew. I for one, will not stand idle and allow our community to be destroyed by the French and their ilk. Vive Utah!