European discount airline Norwegian is considering T.F. Green Airport as a base for a planned U.S. expansion that would start with direct flights to Ireland.
Norwegian's Irish subsidiary on Friday received a federal permit to serve the United States and airline executives announced plans to launch service from Cork, Ireland, to airports serving the New York City and Boston areas.
In New York, Norwegian has seleced Stewart International Airport in the Hudson River Valley. In New England, the Scandinavian carrier is considering both Providence and Portsmouth International Airport in New Hampshire, Anders Lindström, Norwegian's U.S. director of communications, confirmed Tuesday.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Bradley International Airport in Connecticut is also under consideration for Norwegian service.
Lindström said a decision on the Boston-area airport will be made "in early 2017."
Whichever New England airport is chosen, Norwegian plans to base two new 737 Max airplanes there and hire 75 people to serve as pilots and crew.
Norwegian already flies larger 787 planes out of Boston's Logan Airport, but Lindström said the Ireland expansion is focused on smaller airports to keep costs down.
"In order to be able to offer what will be the most affordable nonstop transatlantic flights ever, and yet be profitable, operating fro a smaller airport makes this a possibility," Lindström wrote in an email. "The airports we're looking at in the Greater Boston area are all within reasonable driving distance from Boston."
On its website, Norwegian said "introductory launch fares will start at $69 one-way, including taxes, and with average return fares of $300-350, including taxes."
Although the exact number of flights and schedules have not been finalized, Norwegian plans to start flying from New England to Cork Airport next summer with expansion to Shannon, Ireland, after that.
Flights to Dublin and "other exciting European locations" are also in the works, Lindström said.
Establishing direct service to Ireland has been a long-time goal for Rhode Island and T.F. Green officials. In 2014, then-Governor Lincoln Chafee and the executive director of the Rhode Island Airport Corporation met with Shannon Airport officials while on a trade mission to the country.
