- Airline begins rollout of Wi-Fi connectivity on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and 737 MAX fleet
- Free Wi-Fi for full duration of long-haul flights and high-speed option fast enough to stream movies
- Rollout of Wi-Fi to be completed on more than 50 percent of Dreamliner fleet by 2020
LONDON, UK, 2019-Jan-10 — /Travel PR News/ — Norwegian is taking off the new year by upgrading the passenger experience for long-haul customers with the introduction of inflight Wi-Fi on its growing long-haul fleet of aircraft.
Voted Skytrax 2018 World’s Best Low-Cost Long-Haul Airline, Norwegian became the first carrier to offer free Wi-Fi on all European routes in 2011 and the first European airline to successfully offer live television in the skies in 2015. Since 2013, Norwegian has rapidly grown to become a leading long-haul airline offering more than 60 long-haul routes between Europe, the USA, South America and Asia serviced by modern, state-of-the-art, fuel-efficient aircraft.
Norwegian customers flying between Europe, USA, South America and Asia will be able to stay connected in the skies with the rollout of free and premium high-speed Wi-Fi connectivity on the carrier’s Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and 737 MAX aircraft.
The first connected Norwegian Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (reg: G-CKWP), featuring American author Mark Twain on the tailfin, was delivered on 18 December 2018. The new aircraft has entered service and this milestone marks the first time Norwegian passengers can experience free inflight Wi-Fi for the full duration of long-haul flights.
More than 50 per cent of Norwegian’s 787-9 Dreamliner fleet is expected to offer in-flight connectivity by 2020. The rollout of Wi-Fi on the airline’s Boeing 737 MAX aircraft will commence from mid-January 2019.
Simple choice of two packages – Basic and Premium inflight Wi-Fi
Norwegian economy and Premium customers on the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and 737 MAX will have the choice of two inflight Wi-Fi packages:
Basic option
The Basic option is free and will allow customers to browse the web, stay-up-to-date on social media, send and receive emails and instant messages with friends, family and colleagues by using their personal mobile phones, tablets and laptops on board for the full length of the flight.
Premium option
Fast enough to stream music, movies and television shows on Netflix, YouTube and Hulu among others, Norwegian will offer passengers a Premium high-speed Wi-Fi option.
Premium high-speed Wi-Fi will be available at an introductory price of $14.95 USD / €12.95 EUR for a three-hour package.Customers can select their preferred currency when choosing the Wi-Fi package.
Vice President Business Development Boris Bubresko: “We’re continuously improving the inflight customer experience and we’re delighted to be the first airline offering free Wi-Fi for the full duration of long-haul flights.
“Millions of Norwegian customers have already enjoyed free Wi-Fi over the skies of Europe and now long-haul passengers can continue to rely on free and high-speed internet connectivity that will enhance and personalise their journeys.
“From being the first European airline to launch free Wi-Fi on all short-haul flights followed by free live television, Norwegian’s rollout of high-quality inflight broadband services will offer business and leisure travellers even greater value at affordable fares.”
Passengers willreceive a fast experience using the wireless inflight connectivity platform, CabinConnect™ by Collins Aerospace. Passengers will have highly secure access to internet content through CabinConnect including their favourite shows, inflight map and voice and messaging services through their devices.
CabinConnect uses the Inmarsat Global Aviation (GX) satellite network, specifically designed to offer passengers consistent, reliable high-speed global inflight connectivity.
LeAnn Ridgeway, Vice President of Information Management Services at Collins Aerospace said:“We are collaborating with Norwegian to achieve their vision of optimising their aircraft and enterprise operations to address both cabin and flight deck requirements, as well as adding new capabilities for the future.”
Inflight Wi-Fi works via an antenna fitted to each aircraft fuselage which communicates with Inmarsat’s GX satellite network.
In the UK, Norwegian currently operates 15 nonstop long-haul routes from London Gatwick to Austin, Boston, Buenos Aires, Chicago, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami (from 31 March), New York, Orlando, Rio de Janeiro (from 31 March), San Francisco (from 1 April), Seattle, Singapore and Tampa.
In 2019, Norwegian will take delivery of five brand new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and 19 737 MAX aircraft. Norwegian currently operates 24 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners as part of its overall Dreamliner fleet of 32 aircraft.
Notes to editors
-Premium high-speed Wi-Fi is based on an introductory price, subject to change at various stages during the programme as Norwegian analyses usage based on route, seasonality and market.
About Norwegian
Norwegian is Europe’s third largest low-cost airline and the fifth largest low-cost airline in the world. Founded in 1993, it’s one of the world’s fastest growing airlines, operating around 500 routes to more than 150 destinations worldwide. In 2018, the airline carried more than 37 million passengers across Europe, the U.S and Asia.
Norwegian operates a fleet of around 160 aircraft with an average age of 3.7 years, one of the “greenest” and most fuel-efficient fleets in the world. Norwegian was voted Skytrax 2018 Europe’s Best Low-Cost carrier and World’s Best Low-Cost Long-Haul airline. Norwegian is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange and has around 11,000 employees based in Europe, Asia, the U.S. and South America.
About Collins Aerospace
Collins Aerospace, a unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), is a leader in technologically advanced and intelligent solutions for the global aerospace and defense industry. Created in 2018 by bringing together UTC Aerospace Systems and Rockwell Collins, Collins Aerospace has the capabilities, comprehensive portfolio and expertise to solve customers’ toughest challenges and to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving global market. For more information, visit CollinsAerospace.com.
Norwegian in the UK and Ireland:
- Norwegian carries 5.8 million UK passengers each year from London Gatwick, Edinburgh and Manchester Airports to 50 destinations worldwide
- Norwegian is the third largest airline at London Gatwick, with 4.6 million yearly passengers, and with more than 1,000 UK-based pilots and cabin crew
- In 2014, Norwegian introduced the UK’s first low-cost, long haul flights to the U.S. – the airline now flies to 11 U.S destinations, Buenos Aires and Singapore
- In 2017, Norwegian also launched affordable transatlantic flights from Edinburgh, Belfast, Dublin, Cork and Shannon to the US East Coast, using the brand new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft
- Norwegian is the only airline to offer free inflight WiFi on UK flights to more than 30 European destinations
- The airline has one of the youngest aircraft fleets in the world with an average age of 3.7 years, including next-generation Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing 737 MAX and Boeing 737-800s
- Norwegian has been voted ‘Europe’s best low-cost carrier’ by passengers for six consecutive years at SkyTrax World Airline Awards from 2013-2018, along with being awarded the ‘World’s best low-cost long-haul airline’ in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018
- Norwegian Reward is the airline’s free to join award-winning loyalty programme offering members CashPoints and Rewards that reduce the cost of Norwegian flights
Press Contact:
pressUK@norwegian.com
+44 (0)20 3874 6100
For customer service: 0330 8280854
Source: Norwegian
###