Norwegian Air Shuttle has announced that it will reopen its base in Gran Canaria (LPA), Spain, continuing its expansion outside of Scandinavia after the pandemic. This move further consolidates its presence in the Iberian country, adding to its existing bases in Alicante (ALC), Málaga (AGP), and, for the northern hemisphere summer season, Palma de Mallorca (PMI).
Before the health crisis, Norwegian had established a solid presence in the Canary Islands, with bases in both Tenerife/South (TFS) and Gran Canaria. In 2019, it transported more than 1.7 million passengers on its services from these islands.
Starting from October 2024, Norwegian will reactivate its base in Gran Canaria, deploying two Boeing 737-800/MAX 8 and creating between 80 and 120 jobs. The airline will offer a variety of routes, including popular destinations like Stockholm, Oslo, Gothenburg (Sweden) or Torp (Norway), destinations that, according to the company, are increasingly chosen by Spaniards attracted by their nature and adventure offerings.
Norwegian’s flight schedule in Gran Canaria
- Bergen (BGO), Norway; two weekly flights (Wednesday and Saturday).
- Copenhagen (CPH), Denmark; eight weekly flights.
- Stockholm/Arlanda (ARN), Sweden; eight weekly flights.
- Gothenburg (GOT), Sweden; one weekly flight (Tuesday).
- Helsinki (HEL), Finland; seven weekly flights.
- Oslo/Gardermoen (OSL), Norway; eight weekly flights
- Oslo/Torp (TRF), Norway; one weekly flight (Sunday).
- Stavanger (SVG), Norway; two weekly flights (Wednesday and Saturday).
- Trondheim (TRD), Norway; two weekly flights (Wednesday and Saturday).
“We are very pleased to announce the opening of a new base in the Canary Islands for the winter season 2024/2025 and thus consolidate our commitment to Spain. A market that is increasingly significant and to which we are returning progressively after the pandemic. We hope to increase connectivity with the Canary Islands, increasingly popular among Norwegian travelers, as well as open more connections to the north for Spaniards to continue enjoying the wild nature of the Nordic countries”, stated Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian, through a press release.
See Also: Spain in focus: Norwegian announces expansion of routes for the European summer 2024
After recording a record operating profit of 2,232 million Norwegian kroner in 2023, Norwegian has decided to strengthen its presence in Spain, with 79 routes and 13 aircraft based for the summer of 2024, including the opening of its base in Palma de Mallorca.
Norwegian is not the only airline from northern Europe that has identified the opportunity to base part of its fleet in the Canary Islands during the winter season, taking advantage of the archipelago’s tourist appeal. In December 2023, airBaltic, based in Estonia, inaugurated its winter base in Gran Canaria, basing two Airbus A220-300 and connecting ten destinations in Estonia, Finland, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden.
