The Philadelphia International Airport still has no federal approval to receive flights from overseas, mostly from Europe, writes Catherine Dunn for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Fifteen airports received “funneling status” from the government allowing passenger flights from China, the United Kingdom, most of continental Europe and a few other countries.

The list includes Newark Liberty, New York’s JFK, Washington Dulles and Boston Logan.

Not Philadelphia.

“We just have been excluded from this club of funneling airports,” PHL CEO Chellie Cameron said

The Philadelphia region needs the international tourism that the airport can bring to it.

Nearly 700,000 overseas travelers came to Philadelphia in 2018, bringing $1.2 billion in economic activity with them.

It’s estimated that 79 percent of those visitors are not around in 2020 because of COVID-19.

Philadelphia has built a reputation as a gateway city for international travelers so re-opening overseas routes is critical “to cement our competitive standing in the Northeast,” said Gregg Caren, CEO of the convention and visitors bureau.

It’s been American Airlines’ gateway hub to Europe.

Philadelphia was No. 10 in the nation for transatlantic flights, with 4,600 flights to Europe in 2019.

This year, hardly any.

Read more about the ongoing ban on international flights here.

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