Primera to launch budget US flights from UK

Danish airline Primera Air is launching direct flights from London Stansted and Birmingham to New York and Boston next year.

The airline will use new Airbus A321neo aircraft to fly daily to New York Newark and four times a week to Boston’s Logan Airport from both airports, with fares starting from £149 one-way.

The single-aisle aircraft is a longer version of the A320 with new fuel-efficient engines giving it a range of 4,000 nautical miles or 7,400 kilometres. It can seat up to 180 passengers.

Primera plans to start direct flights from London to New York next April and to Boston from May – flights from Birmingham also start in May.

The airline is due to take delivery of eight aircraft next year and is set to launch two further US services, including a third from Stansted, later next year.

Andri Ingolfsson, the airline’s president and chairman, said: “With our new Airbus A321neos we will operate routes traditionally served only by wide-body aircraft. We will be able to offer unprecedented prices to passengers from France and the UK to the US.”

Ingolfsson claimed the product and service would “merge low fares and high quality”. Tickets went on sale earlier this month at primeraair.com.

London Stansted chief executive Andrew Cowan said: “There is enormous demand for flights to New York and Boston from London and the east of England. We look forward to working with Primera to add more routes.”

William Pearson, aviation director at Birmingham Airport, where United recently announced the end of its services to New York, said he was delighted to be entering in to a partnership with a new transatlantic airline.

“Primera Air will offer daily flights to New York and give passengers the chance to visit Massachusetts’ capital and largest city – Boston. This is a brand new route from Birmingham so we are delighted that Primera Air will give people from the region the opportunity to visit this city direct from their local airport,” said Pearson.

“Primera is a low cost, low fares airline that will appeal to all. With its offering of premium economy and economy seats it really does mean that America is just across the pond.  We look forward to working with Primera Air and are delighted that they will base these brand new Airbus321neo’s here at the airport.”