Year-round European flights a Green 'game changer'

By John Howell
Posted 2/28/17

The two Norwegian Airlines 737Max aircraft that will fly 16 weekly flights between Green Airport and Ireland and Scotland beginning this summer are still at Boeing and, as the airlines' director of United States director of communications

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Year-round European flights a Green 'game changer'

Posted

The two Norwegian Airlines 737Max aircraft that will fly 16 weekly flights between Green Airport and Ireland and Scotland beginning this summer are still at Boeing and, as the airlines’ director of United States director of communications said Thursday, “have that new car smell.”

There’s a lot new to this Rhode Island/ Europe connection that has officials on both sides “of the pond” envisioning more jobs and greater business opportunities. And while the aircraft with 189 seats are on the ground, ticket sales have taken off.

Less than 24 hours after the announcement, all introductory one-way fares of $65 were sold. The first of the year-round flights to Edinburgh, which will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, starts June 16. Service to Ireland begins July 1 to Cork followed by Belfast (Northern Ireland) and Dublin on July 2 and Shannon on July 3.

Thursday’s announcement was called the “worst kept secret” by more than one speaker for good reason. Green Airport has been angling to get a direct flight to Ireland for the past 10 years. Delegations from Ireland have visited the state and groups from here have gone over there. In the past year Norwegian has been reported as a possible carrier on more than one occasion, so, in some respects the announcement was an affirmation of what was expected.

Clearing the way for the airlines, the U.S. Department of Transportation granted Norwegian Air International a foreign air carrier permit on Dec. 2. That sparked an outcry from Oregon Congressman Peter DeFazio, who charged Norwegian is set up to undercut competition by using cheap labor. DeFazio, a Democrat, and New Jersey Congressman Frank LoBiondo, a Republican, called on then president-elect Donald Trump to revoke the permit once in office.

Congressman James Langevin, who did not attend Thursday’s announcement, in a release said he is thrilled Green is expanding and adding additional flights that will promote tourism in our state and make air travel more accessible and affordable for Rhode Islanders.

“It’s his hope that in celebrating this development, Norwegian Air will honor U.S. labor standards going forward for the good of Rhode Island’s workers and for our state’s continued economic development,” Langevin’s chief of staff Seth Klaiman said in an email.

Mayor Scott Avedisian focused on what the service will mean to the state in comments Thursday.

“I know there are some who thought this day would never get here,” Avedisian said. He called Green’s selection for year-round service to five European destinations a “game changer“ for Green Airport that “changes the dynamic here.”

“Patti Goldstein is the most steadfast advocate to make this happen,” Avedisian said of RIAC’s director of marketing and communications.

Goldstein, who was unable to make the announcement, was delighted by the additional service and expressed her commitment to keeping Norwegian and helping them grow. She apparently won’t have too long to wait, as Andres Linstrom, the airlines director of communications, said the company would soon announce a sixth destination from Green. He also confirmed discussions with RIAC for a maintenance facility at Green that would mean additional jobs and further cement the relationship with Rhode Island. At the announcement, he pointed out that the 16 weekly flights starting this summer mean an additional 2,000 seats.

Lindstrom focused on the cost of Norwegian tickets, pointing out to arrive at Green he had just paid $525.20 for a domestic 45-minute flight, asking the question whether his audience would believe him if for the same cost you could make two transatlantic round trips to Ireland. He emphasized that Norwegian is not only a low cost carrier but has been designated as the world’s best low cost carrier for the past three years.

Also on Thursday, Norwegian announced service from Hartford’s Bradley to Edinburgh. The airlines will also have flights from Stewart International at New Windsor, N.Y. However, it’s Rhode Island, says RIAC’s president and CEO Iftikhar Ahmad that offers the most flights and destinations, giving it the potential of being a New England hub for the airline. The package to get them here included the $750,000 given every airline opening new service for promotion and marketing. The $3.7 million earmarked for the five new destinations would be allocated over three years. In addition, Green landing fees would be waived for two years and RIAC could dip into the air service develop fund to offset lost passenger fares resulting from construction on the extension of Runway 5 this summer. Because of the work and to meet weight restrictions based on runway length and affected by temperature (aircraft require longer runways to take off in thin warm air), planes may have to depart at less than full capacity. The extended runway is to be completed by this December.

Ahmad foresees some people flying into Green to purposely take advantage of the low cost fares and service Norwegian provides. And with Norwegian’s recent partnership with Ryanair, the low cost Irish airline, he sees multiple European destinations. He doesn’t see it happening for travelers coming from Europe yet as Norwegian doesn’t have those partnerships with airlines serving Green now.

Ahmad is just as happy to have it that way. He wants to have European travelers make Rhode Island their base. He said that studies have shown that every passenger arriving at a destination airport boost the local economy by $977. He estimates that could be millions if not billons as Europeans discover Rhode Island.

Comments

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  • richardcorrente

    Here's what that means to the citizens of Rhode Island; more flights to Europe at lower costs and that's a great benefit for all Rhode Islanders.

    Here's what that means to the taxpayers of Warwick; more noise pollution, more soil pollution, more water pollution and more air pollution and that's horribly bad for the taxpayers of Warwick that are paying the tab.

    That's why I remain steadfast in my goal of renegotiating the airport agreement to the greater benefit of the Warwick taxpayers.

    If the RIAC can afford to sent flights to and from Europe they can afford the upgrades to the surrounding homeowners that they promised before they "ran out of money".

    There is a drainage pipe leading directly from the Airport into Warwick Pond. I have kayaked there. I've seen it from 20 feet away. I had a hard time breathing. My eyes were watering. I decided not to sample tasting the water like I had planned to do. The very least the RIAC can do in a public service gesture is pay to clean up Warwick Pond.

    There is no law that says just because the expansion agreement is completed and signed by the Mayor it can't be renegotiated, amended, improved upon, or made better. I plan on doing just that. The RIAC was given over 100 homes to increase their runway. In return, the Warwick taxpayers got nothing and our taxes went up to offset the tax losses of "over 100 homes".

    I can't accept that. Can you?

    Happy Spring everyone.

    Rick Corrente

    The Taxpayers Mayor

    Tuesday, February 28, 2017 Report this

  • Thecaptain

    Well, once again the Non-Taxpayer Mayor spews out a moronic statement as follows: If the RIAC can afford to send flights to and from Europe they can afford the upgrades to the surrounding homeowners that they promised before they "ran out of money".

    I guess the Non Taxpayer Mayor doesn't understand that RIAC does not pay to send flights anywhere. The carrier rents space at the terminal, and also pays a premium per person that transits the terminal to get to the carrier service. If the Non-Taxpayer Mayor had any business clue whatsoever, he would understand that RIAC does not "pay" to send flights.

    This comedy act just keeps getting better and better.

    Tuesday, February 28, 2017 Report this