23/02/2017

Norwegian Air Confirms New Flights From Belfast To US

Norwegian Air has confirmed it is to start a new US service.

The flights will operate from Belfast International Airport to airports in New York and Boston from July.

Norwegian will operate three flights a week to Stewart International Airport in Orange County, New York, 70 miles north of Manhattan.

The firm will also add a second direct service for summer 2017 with two flights a-week to Green Airport, Providence.

Graham Keddie, Managing Director, Belfast International Airport, said: "We have been working with Norwegian and Government agencies to get this project across the line.

"It was vitally important for Northern Ireland to re-connect with the United States of America. Without a direct air link, the job of attracting new investment and expanding Northern Ireland tourism would be a lot harder.

"Now, Norwegian, which has one of the youngest fleets in the business, has stepped up to the mark. There is an established market and re-instating a New York service was the main objective. Securing Boston was the icing on the cake!

"Both symbolically and from an economic standpoint, the New York link is the best possible boost for Northern Ireland. We’re set to see a reduced Corporation Tax rate to help boost our inward investment, and it would have been terribly undermined if we didn’t have a direct service.

"Boston has close links with Belfast, and is an immense untapped tourism market for the region. Americans are in the top five of tourism spenders and if we can expand access, then our impressive visitor attractions, hotels and restaurants will prosper.

"This is a great day for the airport, Northern Ireland, indeed, the entire northern half of the island of Ireland."

(CD)

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