Start-up carrier Norse Atlantic Airways has secured slots at the UK’s Gatwick airport as it prepares to launch long-haul flights.
Norse Atlantic has been awarded two six-weekly slot pairs at the London airport, with plans to launch services in summer 2022. Although no routes have been announced yet by the airline.
The airline later announced that it would commence flights in June between Norway and several destinations in the US, with services from other European destinations, including London and Paris, starting “as soon as the market situation allows”.
Norse Atlantic said it had “adjusted” the launch of its ticket sales, which will now start in April, due to the market being affected by the ongoing war in Ukraine, which has pushed up fuel prices and created more uncertainty.
Bjorn Tore Larsen, CEO and founder of Norse Atlantic, said: “We’re thrilled to have been awarded slots to operate flights to and from Gatwick, as it gives us access to one of the most attractive markets in Europe.
“We look forward to working closely with the great team at Gatwick so that we may offer travellers affordable fares to exciting destinations onboard comfortable and more environmentally friendly Boeing 787 Dreamliners as soon as possible.”
The airline, which was set up in March 2021, plans to operate a fleet of 15 Boeing 787s serving destinations such as London, Oslo, Paris, New York and Florida. Norse Atlantic also featured in BTN Europe’s 2022 Hotlist.
Stewart Wingate, Gatwick’s CEO added: “We’re very much looking forward to welcoming Norse Atlantic Airways to Gatwick. These new services mean we can offer our passengers some great value long-haul fares, a fantastic experience onboard modern, cleaner aircraft, and even more choice of destination.”
Norse Atlantic gained approval to operate transatlantic services from US authorities in January 2022.