Airline fails to take off

TD calls for an inquiry into Norwegian Air after it cuts US routes from Cork

ALAN Kelly has called for a Dáil investigation into how Cork’s first ever transatlantic flights are been taken over by Dublin Airport.

The Labour TD said that budget airline Norwegian has moved dozens of flights a week to Dublin, despite claims by the Government last year that the company was creating a transatlantic hub in Cork.

He claims that Norwegian and Dublin Airport has used Cork as ‘Trojan horse’ to get government approval before switching huge numbers of flights to Dublin. His comments come after Norwegian International announced it is slashing its winter services to Boston from Cork Airport.

However, its transatlantic slots at Dublin Airport – which it only got after securing its first foothold in Cork – have increased dramatically.

‘I am now calling for an inquiry into not just how all of this transpired but also into the Dublin Airport Authority’s aviation agenda in Ireland, its impact in skewing economic development towards the capital and how this can be reversed as a matter of urgency for Cork and for every other region,’ he said.

The DAA insists it had Cork’s best interests at heart and that it fought to keep the Boston-Cork service. At first, just over a year ago, Cork ran three services to Providence, Rhode Island with a promise of flights to Stewart, New York to come.

Dublin got 12 services to New York and Rhode Island.

A Norwegian spokesman said: ‘We launched Cork Airport’s first ever transatlantic routes to the US east coast and we are working to maintain these flights in the summer when demand is higher and more profitable.’

Mr Kelly, whose ‘Trojan horse’ claims against Norwegian International and DAA date back more than a year, said the decision to slash winter flights on the CorkBoston route ‘makes a mockery’ of the Government’s avowed policy of balanced regional growth.

He said: ‘It has shown to be a complete stitch-up for Dublin. It was as clear as day that the airport that was really going to benefit from the push for Cork’s first scheduled transatlantic services was, in fact, Dublin.

‘An enormous and honourable effort was put into this by all the key Cork stakeholders, with no mention in the two year plus campaign to get this across the line of Dublin getting any service.

‘If ever we needed proof of Dublin Airport’s monopoly being hugely negative in the national interest, this is it.’

A DAA spokesperson said last night: ‘At all times in its dealings with Norwegian, the DAA has sought to maximise the benefits for Cork Airport.

‘Alongside management at Cork Airport, the DAA has made significant efforts to retain the CorkBoston Providence service for this winter season. Ultimately, airlines make the final decision in relation to how they run their business and which routes they operate.

‘Norwegian has decided to suspend services from Boston Providence to Cork, Shannon and Edinburgh airports for this winter.’

‘It was as clear as day’