Norse Atlantic Airways is preparing to land soon. The new long-haul low-cost airline plans to launch ticket sales at the end of March and the first commercial flight in the second quarter from Oslo (OSL) to a U.S. destination.
«Prospective customers on both sides of the Atlantic contact us every day to ask when they can start buying tickets, when we will be in the air, and most importantly, what routes we will offer,» said Bjorn Tore Larsen, CEO of Norse Atlantic.
«We are working to finalize our route network and look forward to announcing our destinations when we open for sale» Larsen added.
Recruiting pilots and cabin crew.
The company has received more than 3,000 applications for the first 50 pilot jobs at Oslo (OSL) and has now started the training process. The first cabin crew base will be established in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and the first training for a total of more than 400 people will begin in the coming weeks.
Crew bases will be established in other cities as activity at the airline increases. Norse Atlantic has signed collective bargaining agreements with pilot and cabin crew unions in Norway, the United States and the United Kingdom.
Dreamliner fleet
Norse Atlantic will have an all-Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet. The first four aircraft are already in Oslo (OSL) and are Norwegian registered. The remaining 11 Dreamliners will be delivered gradually over the coming months. The company will start operations cautiously and add capacity as demand dictates.
«We believe transatlantic travel will resume in full force once the pandemic is behind us. People will want to explore new destinations, visit friends and family and travel for business» Larsen added.
In December 2021, Norse Atlantic received its Air Operator Certificate from Norwegian authorities and permits from the U.S. Department of Transportation in January. The company plans to offer flights to Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Ontario (ONT) and Newburgh (SWF).
