Two-year-old Emma, 5-year-old Morgan, and 10-year-old Melanie Vehse were on the lookout for their Omi and Opa Thursday. Standing as close as they could get to the International Arrival gate at T.F. Green, the trio’s neon orange, purple, and rainbow sign with a sprinkling of hearts was impossible to miss.

Each was on a mission to be the first to spot their grandparents, who had just arrived with 116 other passengers on Condor Airlines’ inaugural flight from Frankfurt, Germany. Their Boeing B767-300 landed at 6:19 p.m., and had received a drenching from a salute by two airport fire truck water cannons.

This was a celebration months in the making for both the Vehse family and for Green Airport. The first regularly scheduled flight from Europe, and the second international flight welcomed to the airport in the last month, gave a positive vibe to this event, which seemed to offset the negative financial outlook given to the airport by Moody’s Investors Service the day prior. [On Wednesday, Moody’s Investors Service affirmed the A3 rating of the Rhode Island Airport Corporation’s outstanding airport revenue bonds and Baa1 rating of the Rhode Island Airport Corporation Consolidated Rental Car Facilities First Lien Special Facility Bonds used to finance the consolidated rental car facility (“Interlink”) but changed the outlook to negative based on declines in passenger traffic.]

“To our new partner Condor, dankeschön, and to our new German customers, Willkommen! Today marks a milestone for the airport as this is the first time we are able to offer non-stop scheduled international service to Greater Europe,” Kelly Fredericks, president and CEO of the Rhode Island Airport Corporation (RIAC), said in a statement. “This service impacts not only the airport, but the state and region with regard to inbound tourism and business development opportunities.”

The first passengers made it through customs and the exit gates about 25 minutes after landing, but they were not Omi and Opa. 

Elaine and Nico Vehse, the three girls’ parents, seemed to keep one eye toward the entrance gate and one eye on their children, who after 40 minutes were restless. They explained that Nico’s parents from Frankfurt visit them once or twice a year, and had normally flown into Boston. 

“This is so much more convenient. Having them come here saves everyone so much time,” said Elaine, who added that her in-laws booked soon after the flights first became available. The family lives in East Greenwich.  

Getting Condor to Green took a coordinated effort between the airport, government, and travel and tourism partners. These parties went on to create a destination marketing campaign in the German market to raise awareness of the flight service to “Providence,” although, of course, the airport is in Warwick. 

“This new service offers families, business travelers, and those on vacation inexpensive options to fly from their local airport to Frankfurt and seamlessly beyond to many other European cities,” Titus Johnson, vice president for Condor in North America, said in a statement. 

Twice weekly flights on Mondays and Thursdays until Sept. 3, depending on demand, then pick up again next year. Tickets are available for economy class, premium economy class and business class at www.condor.com. Fares begin at $279 for one way, depending on availability. 

As the crowd of other well-wishers who gathered to greet their friends and family thinned, and the spontaneous celebrations that broke out as those that made their exit and found their party slowed, the Vehse family still patiently waited.

More than an hour passed since the plane’s arrival, and there was still no sign of Omi and Opa. Elaine gave a security guard a description of the couple they were looking for, and the guard confirmed they were still processing through customs. Their wait would last only another five to 10 minutes, and they were the last group remaining.

The older girls got ready and held their sign above their heads as Emma completed her last laps around the waiting area with Nico close behind. The family was together as Omi was the first to make her way around the corner, and the smiles on everyone’s faces proved that the moment was worth the wait.

While the family reacquainted, those that booked the 236 tickets for the seven-and-a-half-hour return flight to Frankfurt prepared to board the plane, where similar reunions awaited overseas.