Norse Atlantic has taken the surprise decision to launch cut-price transatlantic flights from the German capital, Berlin. The new low-cost, long-haul airline will fly to New York JFK and Los Angeles from Berlin Brandenberg – both of which aren’t currently served from Berlin.
Based in Oslo, Norse Atlantic hasn’t even operated its first revenue flight yet but is set to launch direct flights from Norway to New York JFK beginning June 14. The airline will also serve Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Los Angeles from Oslo, although a European expansion was always expected.
Norse Atlantic has already announced its intention to serve New York JFK from its second base at London Gatwick but analysts had predicted other European bases to initially include Paris and Rome.
The airline hopes to fly between Berlin and New York JFK daily with one way fares as low as €120. Flights to Los Angeles will run three times per week with the lowest base fare starting at €138.
All of Norse Atlantic’s fares are highly customisable and the base fare doesn’t include extras like checked luggage or meals. Even larger items of hand luggage come at an additional cost.
“For far too long the vibrant and culturally diverse city of Berlin has been subjected to poor direct transatlantic connectivity,” commented Norse Atlantic’s chief executive Bjorn Tore Larsen on Wednesday.
“Our extremely competitive fares and direct flights will allow customers to now finally enjoy affordable and convenient travel between Germany and the US.”
Sadly, the announcement by Norse Atlantic was made on the same day that tragedy struck Berlin when a car ploughed into a crowd of pedestrians in the central shopping district, killing one and injuring at least eight others.
Norse Atlantic is using a fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners which once belonged to Norwegian to launch its low-cost transatlantic ambitions. Norwegian abandoned the long-haul market at the start of the pandemic and only after its efforts to break into the sector nearly bankrupted the airline.
Larsen is the latest entrepreneur attempting to make a success of low-cost transatlantic air travel but he was forced to delay the airline’s launch several times because of the pandemic.
The Norwegian businessman made his fortune with an aviation workforce agency that once supplied cabin crew and other workers to Norwegian. Larsen has, however, promised to recruit Norse Atlantic’s employees direct and won’t use agency staff.
