Make that airport call to US, Taoiseach

TENS of thousands of words have been published by this newspaper about the difficulties facing Cork Airport. Thankfully, those words have had a longed-for air of optimism about them in recent months, especially since the announcement that Norwegian Air International (NAI) planned a transatlantic option from the facility.

That announcement lifted spirits and broadened the horizons in an energising way. It promised a new level of connectivity that could only strengthen our hand when trying to attract foreign investment to the region.

However, it has not all been plain sailing, and the breakthrough seems mired in red tape on the far side of the Atlantic. The Boston link is being delayed by unprecedented stonewalling — a two-year delay by the US Department of Transport officials ruling the airline’s application for a foreign carrier permit.