Controversial budget carrier Norwegian Air will launch trans-Atlantic service with its new Boeing 737MAX aircraft this summer with one-way promotional fares as low as $65 from secondary airports in the U.S. Northeast to airports in Ireland and Scotland. Those who jumped on the offer will be able to fly round trip from the U.S. to Scotland for $145. The fares are a publicity grab, which Norwegian freely admits, and the “extremely limited” number of $65 tickets sold out quickly, but it also notes that regular one-way fares will start at $99. A quick check of flights in August showed the realistic cost of roundtrip flights to be in $700 range, still about $500 cheaper than comparable flights on U.S. carriers. U.S. airports include Providence, Stewart International (70 miles north of New York City) and Hartford. Destinations include Belfast, Edinburgh, Dublin, Shannon and Cork, all of which have easy access to other European destinations. The flight frequency ranges from two to four days a week.
The flights will be operated by Norwegian Air International, a subsidiary the carrier set up in Ireland for the budget service to the U.S. Despite howls of protest from U.S. carriers, the Department of Transportation approved the company’s operating certificate late last year. Norwegian is the launch customer for the 737MAX, which is about 20 percent more fuel efficient than existing 737s, giving it the legs to make the crossing. It seats 189 passengers in the full economy configuration. As with all bare-bones budget carriers, Norwegian charges for just about everything other than the seat but it does allow free carry-on bags.
