Norwegian Air International (NAI) has welcomed US authorities granting of a long-awaited permit to allow it to operate flights between Ireland and the US.

Norwegian plans to operate daily transatlantic flights between Ireland and the US. The routes will be operated by crew from two new bases in the US, as well as NAI’s European crew from bases across Europe.

The airline says that it expects to announce its final plans in early 2017 - and that the first flights will take off during next summer.

The company is planning new transatlantic routes from Cork and Shannon Airport to serve Boston and New York.

It said that it currently offers flights from a number of European locations to Boston for £135 (€160) one way and £250 (€297) return.

"Similar routes from Ireland are expected to match these prices and, with the new aircraft Norwegian is taking delivery of next year, fares are set to be even lower," the airline added.

These plans had faced opposition in the US where unions and politicians expressed concerns regarding compliance with labour standards.

Commenting on the granting of the permit, Norwegian CEO Bjorn Kjos said: "We welcome the long overdue news that our Irish subsidiary Norwegian Air International (NAI) has been granted a foreign carrier permit by the US Department of Transportation.

"I would like to offer my sincere thanks for the significant and invaluable support we have received from across Ireland over the past three years – the efforts by the Irish Government, key politicians and authorities, Cork Airport and many others have all played a crucial role in the US authorities finally approving our application."

He added that the company will offer "low-cost fares and a high-quality service" to Irish customers.