Norwegian Air Direct Route Between Cork and Boston Cleared for Takeoff



The US Department of Transportation has approved Norwegian Air International's (NAI) application to fly round trip, direct flight service between Cork and Boston, starting in 2017.

The announcement came on Friday, December 2, clearing the way for a route that had been in the works for nearly three years.

Cork Airport managing director, Niall MacCarthy, said that the new route “will help grow inbound tourism, give Cork Airport’s passengers greater choice, attract more investment to the region and improve social and cultural ties between Ireland and the US.”

Norwegian Air officials said it hopes to have four-five weekly flights, depending on its popularity.  Officials say they will fly a Boeing 737-800 on the Boston-Cork route, which seats up to 189 passengers. Cork is Ireland’s second largest city, and also has the country’s second busiest airport.

Norwegian Air was rated Europe’s Best Low Cost Airline for a fourth consecutive year by  industry website, Airlineratings.com, which is viewed by 14 million visitors from 232 countries. 

"The Boston-Cork route adds another option for American and Irish consumers traveling between these two great destinations," said Colette Quinlin, managing director of the Boston Irish Tourism Association. "In addition, Boston and Cork share many amenities that appeal to visitors: a rich and proud history, stunning coastline, a robust culinary scene and a vibrant arts and cultural scene," she said.

"Securing a transatlantic service for Ireland’s second largest airport has been an aspiration of ours for some time," MacCarthy said.  "Norwegian Air’s service will be welcomed by business and leisure travelers throughout the region.”

County Cork is one of six counties in the Province of Munster, which also includes counties Kerry, Waterford, Limerick, Clare and Tipperary.

Boston is located in Massachusetts, which has the highest percentage of residents with Irish ancestry in the United States, at 21.5%.  And Massachusetts is part of the New England region, which also has a high percentage of Americans of Irish descent.

For year round information on the Irish community in Massachusetts, visit IrishMassachusetts.com.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

"Blazing the Trail" depicts early Irish filmmaking, showing on November 23 in Brookline

General Edward L. Logan, Namesake of Boston's Logan International Airport

Damian McGinty, former Celtic Thunder Star, Performs in Hartford and Providence this Fall