Deirdre Clune Appeals to Norwegian Air CEO Bjorn Kjos on Cork-Providence Route
As a member of the European Transport & Tourism Committee, and Cork native, Deirdre Clune was actively involved in the political will and commitment to the transatlantic Norwegian Air flights from Cork. In her role as MEP, Clune had advocated at European level for the licence to be granted to Norwegian Air on the basis of the undertakings made in support of the Open Skies Treaty between the EU and the USA. Now she has written directly to Norwegian Air CEO, Bjorn Kjos, to appeal to the airline to reconsider the recent suspension of the Cork – Providence services for winter 2018.
“While I understand that airlines must make commercial decisions, I am actively reminding Norwegian Airlines, that the US strongly resisted the granting of the licence and yet it was through massive political and business support in the Munster region that supported the award of the licence, on the basis of a year-round flight transatlantic flights from Cork, as headlined by the airline,” said Ireland South MEP Deirdre Clune.
In the strongly worded letter directly to Bjorn Kjos, whom the Irish MEP has met at the European Parliament and at Irish Aviation Authority meetings, Deirdre Clune appeals to the Norwegian Air CEO to reinstate the Cork-Providence flights and enable bookings as soon as possible for Summer 2019.
The Ireland South MEP had worked closely with officials at the US Department of Transportation, European Parliament and the EU Commissioner for Transport at the time, as well as the business community and aviation authorities over a period of 12 months in 2016 to support and drive forward the Norwegian Air and ensure a transatlantic route for Cork Airport.
Photo by Emma Jervis
