newstodate.aero

Oct 17, 2022 (newstodate): The Norwegian long-haul low-cost carrier Norse Atlantic has rounded another crucial milestone towards the realization of plans for UK-US direct non-stop scheduled flights.
   Last week, the US Department of Transport proposed to grant Norse Atlantic UK Ltd a foreign air carrier permit which will allow the carrier to operate direct nonstop flights between the UK and the USA, avoiding the intermediary transfer at Oslo Airport under the prevailing conditions.
   The first obstacle was removed in September 2022 as Norse Atlantic received its AOC and Operating License from the British CAA.
   The UK green lights allow the company to operate direct non-stop flights from the United Kingdom, a key part of its business plan since the inception of the airline in March 2021, and Norse Atlantic Airways is now well-positioned for ramping up its operations between London Gatwick and destinations in the US in the Summer 2023 schedule.
    Norse Atlantic took off from Gatwick to New York JFK on its opening flight on August 12, 2022, operating via Oslo due to the lack of its UK AOC and license, and is now providing a daily rotation on the first route from London Gatwick expanding to flights to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Washington.
    The transatlantic direct nonstop services from the UK market will be provided by a fleet of eight Boeing 787-9 aircraft on UK registers as part of a fleet comprising 15 aircraft in service in summer 2022.
   In the immediate turn, Norse is looking into a dark winter period with less traffic carrying fewer passengers on its transatlantic routes.
   Eventually operating a fleet of 15 leased Boeing 787-9 aircraft leaves excess capacity after the announced cuts to US traffic from Norway, Germany and the UK from the start of this winter schedule.
   Instead, the carrier is now seeking airline customers for wet-lease and ACMI contracts, having already secured a contract earlier this year with the Spanish carrier Air Europa comprising four aircraft, with intentions to add a 5th aircraft as well.