David Dyson is licensed under CC BY 3.0
Norwegian plans to operate daily transatlantic low-fare flights between Ireland and the US east coast from next summer.
Plans for services from Cork and Shannon to New York and Boston are to be finalised early in 2017 after the budget carrier’s Irish-based EU-registered arm Norwegian Air International won a permit to serve the US.
Work is also underway to look at further opportunities for expansion in Ireland.
The first routes will be operated by crew from two new bases in the US, as well as NAI’s European crew from European bases.
Full details on fares will be announced early in the new year.
But Norwegian said it was committed to making long haul travel “affordable and accessible to all”.
Norwegian already flies from several other European cities to Boston with fares starting at £135 one way, or £250 return.
Similar routes from Ireland are expected to match these prices and, with the new aircraft Norwegian is taking delivery of next year, fares are set to be even lower.
Chief executive Bjorn Kjos said: “We welcome the long overdue news that our Irish subsidiary Norwegian Air International (NAI) has been granted a foreign carrier permit by the US Department of Transportation.
“With final approvals now in place we have the green light to finalise our exciting plans for new low-cost transatlantic routes from Ireland.
“We are delighted to offer these long-awaited services which will create huge business, leisure and tourism opportunities on both sides of the Atlantic.
“Detailed planning work started immediately after having received the permit, with the first flights planned to take off next summer.
“I look forward to confirming full details in early 2017, but I can promise passengers that our flights from Cork and Shannon will be focussed on making transatlantic travel affordable for all, with low-cost fares and a high-quality service.”