The first Delta airlines flight out of Shannon in five years has taken to the skies this lunchtime.

The US Airline has commenced its non-stop service from Shannon to New York JFK this lunchtime , which is expected to bring an additional 46,000 passengers through the Clare base each year.

The boost has been partly enabled by Boeing’s decision to use a 767 Max aircraft, providing over 200 additional weekly seats.

Shannon Airport CEO Mary Considine is confident Delta’s return can be the catalyst for future service expansion.