Press release -

Norwegian’s UK subsidiary given final approval by U.S. Department of Transportation for transatlantic operations

Norwegian has welcomed news that its British subsidiary ‘Norwegian UK’ (NUK) has been granted a foreign air carrier permit by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The permit allows NUK to operate flights between the UK, Europe and the United States, effective immediately.

The ‘Norwegian UK’ (NUK) subsidiary was set up in 2015 to allow Norwegian to build on its growing long-haul operationsby accessing bilateral traffic rights to a series of global markets. Using the new traffic rights, Norwegian has already announced plans for new routes to Singapore launching in September and Argentina starting in February 2018.

With a U.S. foreign carrier permit also now received for NUK, Norwegian will be able to establish a seamless operation and more effectively utilise its long-haul fleet – this includes the use of the same aircraft across all long-haulroutes includingthe U.S., Singapore, Argentina and other future long-haul markets. Norwegian already employs more than 1,000 pilots and crew at London Gatwick, and the airline’s continued UK growth will lead to thousands more jobs and economic benefits.

Norwegian CEO Bjørn Kjos said: “This is great news for Norwegian and passengers on both sides of the Atlantic, enabling us to offer even more new routes, greater choice and lower fares. Our Norwegian UK subsidiary has already opened the door to a range of new markets, so securing access to the U.S is the final piece of the jigsaw, allowing us to operate a seamless operation with affordable fares to a range of global destinations.

“New routes will also lead to more jobs, and along with the 1,000 pilots and crew already working for us at London Gatwick, we look forward to creating thousands more jobs and economic benefits as we continue to grow.We would like to thank the many airports, airlines, businesses and politicians on both sides of the Atlantic for supporting for NUK and the huge benefits of Open Skies and fair competition.“

Work will now begin to establish which elements of Norwegian’s existing long-haul operations (including new and existing routes, aircraft and crew) will be operated by the NUK subsidiary in future.

Norwegian already flies from five UK airports (Gatwick, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh and Belfast) carrying over 5 million UK passengers each year to more than 50 destinations.

- Ends –

Topics

Norwegian in the UK:

  • Norwegian carries 5.2 million UK passengers each year from London Gatwick, Edinburgh, Birmingham and Manchester Airports to 50 destinations worldwide
  • Norwegian is the third largest airline at London Gatwick, with 4.6 million yearly passengers, and with more than 800 UK-based pilots and cabin crew
  • In 2014, Norwegian introduced the UK’s first low-cost, long haul flights to the U.S. - the airline now flies to 7 U.S destinations with fares from just £139 one way
  • Norwegian is the only airline to offer free inflight WiFi on UK flights to more than 30 European destinations
  • The airline has one of the youngest aircraft fleets in the world with an average age of 3.6 years, including next-generation Boeing 787 Dreamliners and Boeing 737-800s
  • Norwegian has been voted ‘Europe’s best low-cost carrier’ by passengers for four consecutive years at SkyTrax World Airline Awards from 2013-2016, along with being awarded the ‘World's best low-cost long-haul airline’ in both 2015 and 2016

Contacts

For journalists only

For journalists only

Press contact Norwegian Press Office +47 815 11 816
Marketing/sponsorhip requests: marketing@norwegian.com

Marketing/sponsorhip requests: marketing@norwegian.com

Press contact Marketing/sponsorship requests: marketing@norwegian.com

Norwegian.com

The Norwegian group is a leading Nordic aviation company, headquartered at Fornebu outside Oslo, Norway. The company has over 8,200 employees and owns two of the prominent airlines in the Nordics: Norwegian Air Shuttle and Widerøe’s Flyveselskap. Widerøe was acquired by Norwegian in 2024, aiming to facilitate seamless air travel across the two airline’s networks.

Norwegian Air Shuttle, the largest Norwegian airline with around 4,700 employees, operates an extensive route network connecting Nordic countries to key European destinations. In 2023, Norwegian carried over 20 million passengers and maintained a fleet of 87 Boeing 737-800 and 737 MAX 8 aircraft.

Widerøe’s Flyveselskap, Norway’s oldest airline, is Scandinavia’s largest regional carrier. The airline has more than 3,500 employees. Mainly operating the short-runway airports in rural Norway, Widerøe operates several state contract routes (PSO routes) in addition to its own commercial network. In 2023, the airline had 3.3 million passengers and a fleet of 48 aircraft, including 45 Bombardier Dash 8’s and three Embraer E190-E2's. Widerøe Ground Handling provides ground handling services at 41 Norwegian airports.

The Norwegian group has sustainability as a key priority and has committed to significantly reducing carbon emissions from its operations. Among numerous initiatives, the most noteworthy is the investment in production and use of fossil-free aviation fuel (SAF). Norwegian strives to become the sustainable choice for its passengers, actively contributing to the transformation of the aviation industry.

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