By Georgina Brennan

The largest carrier in the U.S., American Airlines, announced this week that it plans to operate a new scheduled non-stop service between the U.S. and Ireland.

The new Chicago-Dublin and Boston-Shannon services, due to start in May 2005, will operate on a daily basis during the peak summer travel season and five days a week during the rest of the year. 

American said it will fly the Chicago-Dublin service with 211-seat Boeing 767-300 aircraft and will serve Boston-Shannon with 188-seat Boeing 757s. 

“We continue to focus on strong and growing international markets as we position American for long-term success under our Turnaround Plan,” said Henry C. Joyner, the airline’s senior vice president of planning. 

“Ireland fits our strategy perfectly. Dublin’s passenger traffic alone is up about 24 percent over the past five years, and in 2003, more than 900,000 people visited Ireland from the United States.” 

Irish Tourism Minister John O’Donoghue released a statement welcoming the move to a more expanded service for Americans wishing to visit Ireland and Irish people going to America. 

“On behalf of the Irish tourism industry, I am delighted at the decision by American Airlines to commence this service to Ireland. During my recent visit to Dallas with Tourism Ireland, I met with senior executives at American Airlines headquarters,” he said. 

Paul O’Toole, Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland, said in a statement that the airline was very welcome to the Irish skies.

“Close on one million U.S. visitors came to Ireland in 2004 and Tourism Ireland has set a target to grow this number by a further 7.8 percent in 2005. This new service will do much to help us achieve this ambitious target,” he said. 

Jim McGuigan, executive vice president for Tourism Ireland in the U.S., based in New York, added, “Ireland offers a premier vacation destination experience for American travelers. The decision by American Airlines will substantially expand the air travel options and choices for U.S. travel consumers wishing to sample the legendary Irish welcome that awaits our American visitors. 

“I and my colleagues in the United States greatly look forward to working with American Airlines to benefit Irish tourism.”

American’s new Chicago-Dublin flight will depart Chicago at 7:35 p.m. and land the next morning in Dublin at 8:55 a.m. and depart Dublin 11 a.m., and arrive the same day to Chicago at 12:50 p.m. 

The flight leaving Boston will depart at 8:25 p.m. and arrive at 7:15 a.m. in Shannon the next day. The returning flight leaves Shannon for Boston at 11:25 a.m. and arrives at 12:55 p.m. on the same day.