Norse Atlantic Airways has announced it will serve more US destinations from Gatwick than any other airline this summer.
The fledgling Norwegian low-cost carrier said it will add Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington DC to its transatlantic operations from the West Sussex airport.
It already connects Gatwick with New York, and recently announced it will serve Orlando and Fort Lauderdale from May.
The increase in Norse’s flights between south-east England and the US signals a ramp-up in competition with legacy carriers such as British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.
Norse began flying between Gatwick and New York in August last year, with return trips available from £255.
The airline – which exclusively operates Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft – hopes to succeed where Norwegian Air Shuttle (NAS) failed.
NAS operated transatlantic flights with low fares but axed its long-haul operations in January 2021 due to heavy losses.
It was founded by Bjorn Kjos, who resigned as chief executive in July 2019 and holds a minority stake in Norse.
Bjorn Tore Larsen, Norse chief executive, said: “The Norse team are disruptors.
“We look forward to making our unbeatable product available to even more customers this summer, as we build the industry’s first successful low-cost long-haul airline.
“We have made a significant investment in our UK airline, based at Gatwick Airport, and now employ over 370 colleagues at our London base.
“I am very pleased that we are fulfilling our pledge to create competition in the transatlantic market that will benefit consumers, stimulate business travel and lead to job creation on both sides of the Atlantic.”
Gatwick chief executive Stewart Wingate said: “Long-haul routes, particularly in North America, are a hugely important aspect of our strategy, especially as we look to return to pre-covid levels of passengers and destinations.
“For Norse to demonstrate such commitment to Gatwick highlights the incredibly strong demand for our slots and we look forward to welcoming more long-haul routes in coming months.”
Author: Londontopia Staff
This article was submitted and adapted by Londontopia Staff and used with a license from the Press Association UK (PA Media). All images and content used with permission.