Shannon Airport has today, in a submission to the US Department of Transport, formally stated its support for Norwegian Air International’s bid for a permit to operate services between Ireland and the US.

In its submission backing Norwegian Air International’s application for a foreign carrier permit that would enable it to commence services between the US and Ireland, including Shannon Airport, Mary Considine, Acting CEO of Shannon Group – the airport’s parent company – said that the launch of these services would be a boost for tourism and business on both sides of the Atlantic.

Shannon Airport has been in discussions with the airline since 2014 and an agreement is in place for a transatlantic service pending the success of the permit application.

The US Department of Transportation has already given preliminary approval for the foreign carrier permit to NAI, with a period for submissions to the US department on the matter now coming to a close.

“We welcome the planned NAI services and the benefits to visitors and to businesses which they will bring,” Ms Considine stated in the submission.

“We have been in discussion with Norwegian since 2014 and we are happy to have been able to demonstrate the strong and growing demand for travel between Ireland and the US and to have convinced the airline to launch Shannon-US service subject to regulatory approval.

“As a long-standing Irish transatlantic gateway airport, unique in Europe in offering the benefits of US CBP preclearance for passengers on both commercial and private aircraft, we have witnessed the economic benefits of direct transatlantic services. As a base for Aer Lingus and Ryanair, we have also witnessed the manner in which direct services can stimulate market demand and develop both tourism and business traffic.

“We welcome NAI’s plans to develop transatlantic service from Shannon to complement our existing and valued range of flights, and we are confident that NAI’s initial and subsequent routes will grow the overall market and develop more transatlantic trade and tourism. These flights will help to bring more US visitors to Ireland and the Wild Atlantic Way, and more Irish visitors to North America.”

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