Air France will launch the first nonstop flights from Seattle to Paris, a sign that that a package of incentives designed to lure international flights may be paying off.

A nonstop to Paris has been under discussion for years — I remember reading that it was imminent in a Seattle Weekly article at least a decade ago. Meanwhile Seattle has steadily lost international air connections to Hong Kong, China, Mexico and elsewhere, despite the region’s growth as a travel market and even as Vancouver and Portland added flights.

Under a plan approved last week by the Port of Seattle, landing fees for new international air service will be waived during their first year and 75 percent of the fees the following year, according to the Seattle P-I. Facilities charges will be cut 75 percent for each of the first two years, and the Port will contribute $250,000 the first year, $160,000 the second year and $45,000 the third year to a marketing program for the route.

Oregon used a similar marketing program to lure nonstop routes to Mexico, Japan and Germany. Portland beat Seattle to lure Germany flights and has since restored several domestic nonstops. Compared to some of the other financial deals ports do, these incentives are practically a bargain.