Norwegian Air on March 25 will stop flying between Edinburgh,
Scotland, and Hartford, Conn., saying the
U.K.'s air passenger tax is too high.
Norwegian also will reduce the frequency of flights between
Edinburgh and two other Northeast destinations: Providence, R.I., and Stewart Airport
in Newburgh, N.Y.
When Norwegian launched the three Scotland routes last year,
the airline said it anticipated that the Scottish government would replace the
U.K.'s air passenger duty with a lower tax. The government had intended to cut
the tax by 50% in April 2018, but the plan has fallen apart.
"We are urging the Scottish government to quickly resurrect
plans for a reduction in air passenger taxes, which would reopen the door for
more flights and lower fares for American travelers," Norwegian said in a
statement.
Because Hartford has "great potential," Norwegian
said it would review future opportunities to launch transatlantic service from
Bradley International, New England's second-largest airport after Boston Logan.
The U.K.'s air passenger duty is slated to increase from 75
to 78 British pounds (about $108 at today's conversion rate) on April 1 for
fliers purchasing economy tickets on transatlantic flights from the U.K.