As more travelers look to return to international travel, British Airways is restarting its nonstop service between Austin and London.

Following a 17-month absence, the transatlantic service will return to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on Oct. 13, the airline said Thursday.

British Airways, which has operated in Austin since March 2014, will resume service between Austin and London's Heathrow Airport three days a week on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, aboard a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

“We can’t wait to welcome our customers back on board our Austin flights and we are honored to be playing our part in reuniting families and friends with their loved ones after such a long time apart,” said Marie Hilditch, British Airways’ Head of North America sales."

British Airways said it has introduced COVID-19 safety measures at the airport and on board to protect customers and crew. These include social distancing measures, the wearing of facemasks and hand sanitizer stations.

Prior to travel, customers will also receive details of how they can prepare for their  flight.

"The safety of our customers and colleagues has always been at the heart of everything we do," Hilditch said. "We know some customers won’t have flown for a long time, we can assure them we have a range of Covid-19 measures in place to provide stress and hassle-free travel.”

The airline will clean key surfaces including seats, screens, seat buckles and tray tables after every flight and each aircraft is completely cleaned from nose to tail every day.

The air on all British Airways flights is fully recycled once every two to three minutes through HEPA filters, which remove microscopic bacteria and virus clusters with over 99.9% efficiency, equivalent to hospital operating theatre standards, the airline said.

“The Austin to London route was more than just a fantastic travel opportunity, it was a strong contributor to the local economy,” said Gina Fiandaca, assistant city manager over the SD23 Mobility Outcome. “We are delighted to welcome British Airways and its customers back to Austin.”

For travelers arriving in Austin, ABIA is following enhanced health and safety protocols and modified operations amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Practices include enhanced cleaning procedures throughout the terminal, contactless mobile ordering, and on-site testing.

While domestic travel, primarily leisure, is returning, experts predict business travel and international travel will take longer to fully recover.

“We are thrilled to be welcoming back British Airways to Austin and celebrate the return of nonstop service to London-Heathrow,” said Jacqueline Yaft, Austin-Bergstrom's CEO. “The resumption of nonstop transatlantic between our two cities is great news for both business and leisure travelers alike.”

The British Airways news follows Southwest Airlines' announcement this month that it will add nine new nonstop routes in the spring in response to market demand by both leisure and business travelers.

The airline said it will begin daily nonstop service on March 10 to Amarillo, Midland, Charleston, S.C., Columbus, Ohio and Ontario, Calif.