Gov. Perdue Takes Inaugural Non-stop San Francisco Flight From RDU

A brand new business-friendly route to the west has taken flight from North Carolina.

Announcement: Welcome to United Airlines' inaugural flight 194 with service to San Francisco.

Gurnal Scott: That announcement was a first for Raleigh-Durham Airport. It opens another door to the west coast for North Carolina travelers -- be it for business or pleasure. Gov. Bev Perdue was on that first flight, but not for fun. She wants to link our state's business to Silicon Valley

Gov. Bev Perdue: Every single discussion at some point in time talks about air access, they talk about the ability to get from here to there and to go somewhere globally because it's a global economy.

In fact the five-hour flight is timed to land at around 10 a.m Pacific in time for connections to the Far East. Perdue says that's invaluable to startups here at home.

Gov. Bev Perdue: This direct flight will allow those angels to get to us in one day or actually allow our people to get back to them.

Perdue's trip includes meetings with Silicon Valley companies through the end of the week.