Paschal Donohoe urged to help Cork Airport's transatlantic bid

The transport minister has been urged to intervene amid mounting concerns over US permit delays which are threatening the launch of Cork Airport’s first transatlantic flights.

Fianna Fáil city councillor, Tom O’Driscoll, said with just months to go before the proposed May launch of Norwegian Airline’s Cork to Boston service, he has concerns that the US Department of Transportation (DoT) still has not made a decision on its foreign carrier licence application, two years after it was submitted.

He called for a high-level diplomatic intervention, led by Transport Minister Paschal Donohue, to ensure the transatlantic service — a long-term strategic goal of Cork Airport and which has been described as a game-changer for the airport and the wider region — is secured.