Budget airline Zoom has received permission to use a shorter route while crossing the Atlantic.

A Department of Tourism spokeswoman confirmed that the airline had been granted its ETOPS (extended-range twin operations) licence, which means it is no longer required to stay within an hour and half distance from land.

Zoom began its service from Gatwick Airport in London, UK, in June.

Though their tickets were often cheaper than those offered by the other UK carrier, British Airways, customers complained of the nine hour flight.

Because Zoom did not have the ETOPS licence it was forced to fly to the US east coast, across Greenland, past Iceland and then down through Scotland in order to get from Bermuda to London.

The twice weekly flight ended up being two hours longer than the British Airways flights.

But now thanks to the licence it should only take six hours and 45 minutes to complete the flight.