US Congressmen bid to stop Cork to Boston route

Four US Congressmen have introduced legislation in a bid to block an airline's attempt to launch the first transatlantic flights from Cork Airport.

Representatives Peter DeFazio and Rick Larsen, both Democrats, and Republicans Frank LoBiondo and Lynn Westmoreland, confirmed last night that they have introduced a bipartisan bill that would prevent the US Department of Transportation (DoT) from permitting a foreign air carrier to operate between European countries and the US unless the carrier complies with basic, fair US or EU labour standards.

The legislation was introduced in response to the DoT’s tentative decision earlier this month to grant a permit to Norwegian Airline's Irish subsidiary, Norwegian Air International (NAI), to operate flights between Ireland and the US.