Norwegian Air seeks trans-Atlantic flights from ‘low fee’ US airports: some viable options

The Oslo-based LCC Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA, operating as 'Norwegian', has already established a reputation as one of the most prolific long haul budget carriers, with a portfolio of flights to the Middle East, Asia Pacific and North America from Scandinavia and to North America from London Gatwick, under the Norwegian Long Haul brand.

A subsidiary, Norwegian Air International is also established with an AOC at Dublin Airport in Ireland but approval for US flights has not yet been granted by the US Department for Transportation in the form of a foreign carrier permit. So far flights are taking place between primary airports in Europe such as Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen and London Gatwick, and primary airports in the US, such as New York JFK, Los Angeles, Orlando and Boston, which joins the network in 2016, the possible exception being Fort Lauderdale, which handles much low cost travel (65% of seat capacity just now).

But Norwegian is hoping to start thinner routes and to sell one way tickets to Europe for USD69 as soon as 2017. It has European airports such as Bergen and Edinburgh in its sights having already announced a service between Cork in Ireland and Boston. It can really only do so by flying from US airports that have low fees. So, which ones might be in the frame, if the demand is there?