Norwegian Air and the Crean Family have announced that Antarctic explorer Tom Crean will become its first 'Irish tail fin hero.'

His picture will be placed on its Irish planes which will fly from Cork, Shannon and Dublin to the East Coast of the US from this summer.

Tom Crean with sleigh dog pups

The company has a tradition of placing iconic figures on the tails of its aircraft - they traditionally feature "personalities who symbolise the spirit of Norwegian through innovation, pioneering achievement and inspiring others."

As it moves into new territories it has also taken on British, Spanish, and now Irish icons.

Norwegian CEO Bjorn Kjos said: "As Norwegian prepares for rapid expansion in Ireland this summer, our ‘tail fin heroes’ offer us a perfect chance to pay tribute to some of the greatest Irish men and women of all time. Tom Crean is an unsung hero and a truly inspirational figure so it is a great honour to have him adorn our aircraft and become our first ever Irish tail fin hero."

If you want to hear more from him - he's on Down to Business with Bobby Kerr tomorrow.

Tom Crean undertook several polar expeditions, including one trip when he travelled for 18 hours alone in sub-zero temperatures to find help to rescue an injured travelling companion.

From July, Norwegian will launch a series of new low-cost transatlantic routes from Cork, Shannon and Dublin.

The flights will serve smaller airports on the US east coast offering access to the New York, Boston and New England areas.