Norwegian is gearing up to launch flights to the US for less than £60! The airline has revealed these new low-cost flights from Britain to the US, cutting current prices by over 50%. Starting in the summer of 2017, the one-way fares, priced at $69 (£56), will be the most affordable transatlantic tickets available.
Bjorn Kjos, CEO of the Oslo-based airline, mentioned that the discounted prices will be for flights from Edinburgh to New York aboard their six new Boeing 737MAX aircraft. These aircraft are expected to be delivered in April, with flights beginning a few months afterward.
“Our planes are extremely fuel-efficient,” Kjos commented about the Boeing 737MAX models. “We operate differently from other airlines. The aircraft’s modern engine enables it to cover longer distances.”
Additionally, Norwegian plans to lower costs by flying into airports located outside of central New York state instead of JFK. “We’ll also land at secondary airports in New York,” Kjos added. “This strategy helps us save on costs and allows us to offer cheaper fares.” The specific New York airport for these flights hasn’t been disclosed yet, but Norwegian currently flies to Newark Liberty International Airport from the UK.
The airline also announced that these routes will be managed by crew from two new bases it plans to open in the US, which is expected to create at least 150 new jobs for crew and pilots. Norwegian is actively hiring across Europe to support its growing fleet and expanding routes.
Operating as Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA, the airline is the third-largest low-cost carrier in Europe, the second-largest in Scandinavia, and the ninth-largest in Europe based on passenger numbers. Norwegian offers a high-frequency domestic schedule within Scandinavia and Finland, flies to business hubs like London, and serves holiday spots in the Mediterranean and Canary Islands, transporting 24 million passengers in 2014.