NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The leadership at Norfolk International Airport is looking to truly emphasize the "international" part of their name by adding nonstop commercial international flights. While the name "international" has adorned the airfield since 1976, charter flights have made up the majority of the international traffic. The term means an airport has the capabilities to host U.S. Customs and immigration officials. However, in a year where the airport is again expected to break records for passenger traffic, Executive Director and CEO Mark Perryman believes now is the time to make the push for a regularly-scheduled nonstop flights to a foreign land. He said there is data to back up the need and airlines that are interested. The only thing he needs: community support. ‘It’s been phenomenal’: Norfolk International Airport on track to have another record breaking year for number of passengers "This is where the community needs to come together and work with the airport on the international air surface, because we can't do it alone," Perryman said. "We market the airlines each and every day to get us to San Diego to more flights to Orlando or wherever. But the international really is going to take a group beyond just the airport." The airport has seen significant growth in the last decade when it comes to nonstop flight options. In 2014, the airport had 21 different nonstop destinations. This year, there are 45. Perryman described the airport as "punching above our weight," as it has more options than San Antonio, Hartford and Memphis. But for international flights the competition for flights is fierce. Airlines often expect cash commitments to secure new long-haul international service prior to committing to a U.S. route Perryman explained. Over a two year period, $3.5 million of Pennsylvania tax dollars has been to British Airways’ for their nonstop service from Pittsburgh to London. In Cleveland, $12 million in incentives has successfully lured Aer Lingus to begin providing service to and from Dublin. "We're never going to get the American United or Delta to fly nonstop from here," Perryman said. "They're going to fly through their hubs. That's their business model. And it works. But what we can get is some of the other airlines; Air Lingus, Condor, even maybe Lufthansa, are British air foreign flag carriers that want a direct feed into their hub in Europe." Thursday, Perryman revealed to the Norfolk Airport Authority Board that airlines have already reached out, interested in adding "If you combine all that together, we could fill two airplanes a week to a European destination that then would disperse that out to other destinations. So somewhere in the 225 to 250 passengers, twice a week on aircraft. "It's going to take business leaders, it's going to take community leaders, it's going to take folks who put the people on those planes," Perryman said, "to assure those airlines that we're trying to attract, that there is that business there."