The US is back on the timetable at London Stansted. Daily direct flights from Stansted to New York and Boston will start from April 2018 courtesy Danish carrier Primera Air, which is opening a new base at the Essex hub.

The service will link the Cambridge UK-Stansted-London science & technology corridor with Newark Airport for the Big Apple and Boston’s logan Airport. Primera Air also plans to announce another transatlantic route from Stansted by the end of this summer.

The new routes are terrific news for the Cambridge cluster business community. Scores of local businesses are either US-owned or trading significantly with transatlantic customers; US companies such as Apple, Amazon, Google, Illumina, Gilead and many others are also scaling from Cambridge.

Flights will be operated by new Airbus A321NEO aircraft and include a choice of two cabins, full-service premium and low-fare economy, free Wi-Fi and onboard charging points.

Primera Air will be the first airline for nine years to fly scheduled services to the US from Stansted.

Four airlines have tried to establish a Stansted-US service but only Continental – hit by 9/11 three months in – could claim ill-fortune. The last of the pretenders, American Airlines, nipped in, took out two rivals, and promptly pulled out again but had cleared a pitch for a future day – or so it assumed.

Primera Air president and chairman Andri Ingolfsson said: “We are very proud to announce our new base at London Stansted and routes to the US. With our brand new Airbus A321NEO aircraft, we are opening routes previously traditionally served only by wide-body aircraft. 

“With unmatched efficiency of these new-generation aircraft, we will be able to offer unprecedented prices to our passengers from London Stansted to the USA. At the same time, we are very proud to be offering a low-fare/high quality product and service concept, that will be perfect both for leisure and business travellers.”

Andrew Cowan, Stansted’s chief executive added: “We’re thrilled Primera Air has chosen London Stansted as its UK base for these exciting and innovative new long-haul services to the USA.

“We know from our customers that there is enormous demand for flights to New York and Boston from London and the East of England, so the arrival of Primera Air is fantastic news for both business and leisure passengers wanting great value, excellent service and the convenience of flying transatlantic from their local airport.”

Flights to both destinations went on sale today (July 20) with prices starting from £149 one-way inclusive of all taxes, fees and charges. 
Visit www.primeraair.com for more information.