[PhilipHart]

This news will be a real boost for the people and economy of Northern Ireland.

[libertyX]

wow thats great

[AMcWhirter]

One wonders how Icelandair’s planned service to New York will fare when Norwegian launches flights.

However, although Icelandair operates via Reykjavik it does land at JFK whereas Norwegian will be arriving at a New York airport well away from Manhattan.

Hopefully Icelandair will be able to source passengers bound for other N American destinations.

Belfast regains its “New York” service

[Panda01]

I wonder how the airline will make money when United struggled. I hope the airline stays for awhile, but I think most people will go to Dublin or to London and I go through London where possible.

[AMcWhirter]

Panda01 – I suspect Norwegian will be using B737s for this route and also for Edinburgh (new US routes have also been announced today). Why ? Because it has designated these small regional airports for its transatlantic B737 services.

[onajetplane]

Yes Edinburgh is also getting a Hartford connection.

http://www.bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2017/02/low_fare_flights_to_ireland_scotland_start_at_65_today

Would be nice to see the Belfast routes go year round as opposed to summer seasonal…

[PhilipHart]

@AMcWhirter They will be using their new B737MAX aircraft.

I just checked fares to (eg) Boston in July, and they can currently be had for as little £129.90 !!

That’s the price of a single to Mallorca at the same time on EZY.

[onajetplane]

@PhilipHart – yes there are still £60.80 fares showing up for New York/Newburgh – Belfast in august!

[AMcWhirter]

PhilipHart – Thanks for confirming. I’ve just written a piece which will be posted very soon. As we’ve seen with other budget airlines these low fares will quickly sell out and, in the case of flights from the UK mainland, one needs to include the cost of APD. Note that flights from N Ireland have different levels of APD.

[PhilipHart]

@onajetplane, I had meant to say that the fare quoted was for a return, but only realised my omission after I had hit the submit button.

I thought that BT had an edit facility, but maybe I’m confusing it with another site.

[AMcWhirter]

Here’s the Business Traveller piece. Another news item, regarding the new transatlantic service from three additional Irish airports, follows shortly.

Norwegian to launch transatlantic flights from Belfast and Edinburgh

[icenspice]

OMG, you have to be quick to secure one of those £69 fares. Twice during the booking process, the price had gone up. Third time lucky ?

[AMcWhirter]

icespice – It’s always the same when budget airlines (especially long-haul ones) launch new routes.

What I had not realised when I wrote our piece is that, for the £69 introductory fares, *Norwegian is absorbing the cost of APD.”

APD from Edinburgh is £75. From Belfast there are different rates and, the last time I checked, long-haul APD is at the same level as the short-haul rate *but only* for direct/non-stop, long-haul flights.

I’ll add a correction to the piece already written.

[MrMichael]

Will they be dedicated 737’s for the routes and thus perhaps offer their premium economy product?

[icenspice]

As far as I know, MrMichael, there will be no premium seats. It will be a transatlantic Ryanair experience with 189 pax.

[Author]

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