Norse Atlantic Airways, founded by former Norwegian executives, has been approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to begin operations between Norwegian/European Union and Fort Lauderdale (FLL), New York/Stewart (SWF), and Ontario (ONT).
«We are thrilled with the Department of Transportation’s approval of our affordable transatlantic flights. This major milestone brings Norse one step closer to launching affordable and more environmentally friendly service for customers traveling between Europe and the United States. We appreciate USDOT’s constructive and fast approach, and look forward to working with them in the coming months» said Bjorn Tore Larsen, the CEO and founder of Norse Atlantic.
The startup is currently recruiting staff in the United States, and also expects to have its headquarters in Fort Lauderdale where it will promote the creation of more jobs. In May of last year, Norse Atlantic recorded a landmark cabin crew pre-hire agreement.
The airline expects to have a fleet of 15 Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, of which 12 will be 787-9s and 3 will be 787-8s. The company’s initial operations will focus on Florida, New York and California, the main U.S. international destinations for Europeans. The first aircraft are already registered and based in Oslo (OSL).
The company is now preparing for its base at London Gatwick (LGW), and has applied to the UK authorities for the necessary slots to begin operations.
Its virtual predecessor, Norwegian Long Haul operated from Oslo (OSL) to New York (JFK), Los Angeles (LAX), and Fort Lauderdale (FLL), unlike Norse Atlantic which chose secondary airports in major U.S. cities.
«Our people will be our competitive advantage. We are building a high-performance culture and creating an environment where we value diversity, ensuring that all colleagues have a sense of belonging. We look forward to starting to recruit our colleagues in the U.S.» concluded Larsen.
