Airline Norwegian announces new Edinburgh to US routes

Norwegian already links Edinburgh to six destinations in Scandinavia and Spain

Budget airline Norwegian has announced three new direct routes from Edinburgh to the east coast of the United States.

From this summer, the airline will fly to the greater New York, Boston and New England areas.

The flights will serve smaller US airports which carry lower landing charges.

Norwegian said this would allow the airline to offer some "truly affordable" fares.

From 15 June, Norwegian will launch a daily service to Stewart International Airport in New York state, about 90 minutes away from New York City.

On the following day, the airline will start operating four flights a week to Providence, Rhode Island.

And on 17 June, it will run three flights a week to Bradley International Airport in Connecticut.

'Game-changer'

The transatlantic routes will be served by the new Boeing 737 Max aircraft.

Norwegian already flies from Edinburgh to six destinations - Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, Barcelona, Tenerife and Malaga.

Norwegian chief executive Bjorn Kjos said: "The cost of transatlantic travel has been too high for too long, so by connecting Scotland with smaller US airports, we can offer some truly affordable fares, allowing as many people as possible to fly.

Edinburgh Airport chief executive Gordon Dewar said: "These new, low-cost direct services between Scotland's capital city and the east coast of America are a real game-changer - making travel between these two parts of the world easier than ever before and opening up possibilities to more business and leisure passengers than ever before."