2012-10-25 — /travelprnews.com/ — Norwegian Air Shuttle will establish a new base of operations at London’s Gatwick Airport in spring 2013. It will also establish a new base of operations at Alicante, Spain. Norwegian will offer flights to several Mediterranean destinations and the Nordic region from London. The new base in England will also enable Norwegian to better meet the head-on competition from Asian and European carriers in the long-haul market.
Norwegian is already a significant player at London Gatwick. With more than 100 weekly departures between the Nordic region and London, the British capitol is Norwegian’s most popular destination outside its home market. The airline sees a major passenger potential in London and surrounding areas. The Alicante base will – in addition to already established bases at Malaga and Las Palmas – serve an important part of Norwegian’s Spanish traffic.
Norwegian is planning to start its operations at London Gatwick with three Boeing 737-800s and increase to four aircraft by the end of the year. The first flights will commence in spring 2013. Pilots and cabin crew will be recruited locally.
“By establishing a new base in London, Norwegian will be positioned to meet the future competition on short-haul routes within Europe as well as long-haul routes globally. Growth and volumes are necessary to stay competitive in the airline industry,” said CEO Bjørn Kjos of Norwegian.
Norwegian currently has bases of operations in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Spain. A new base for the company’s subsidiary for long-haul flights is being established in Bangkok.
Media Contacts:
SVP Corporate Communications, Anne-Sissel Skånvik, phone: + 47 97 55 43 44
Norwegian’s Press Office: +47 815 11 816
Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA, commercially branded “Norwegian,” is a public low-cost airline noted on the Oslo Stock Exchange. The company is the second largest airline in Scandinavia, and has a route portfolio that stretches across Europe into North Africa and the Middle East. With competitive prices and customer friendly solutions and service, the company has experienced significant growth over the previous years. With close to 16 million passengers in 2011, Norwegian is the 3rd largest low-cost airline in Europe. Norwegian currently operates 64 aircraft on 294 routes to more than 114 destinations and employs approximately 2,500 people.
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Norwegian opens new bases of operations at London Gatwick and Alicante