Norwegian Air CEO Says $69 Flights From U.S. to Europe Coming Soon

[GennGreymane]

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/trav...coming-n439686

Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA hopes to sell one-way tickets to Europe for $69 as early as 2017 by flying from U.S. airports that have low fees, Chief Executive Officer Bjørn Kjos said in an interview Tuesday.

Europe's third-largest budget airline is considering flights to Edinburgh and Bergen, Norway from U.S. airports that have little to no international service today, such as New York's Westchester County Airport and Connecticut's Bradley International Airport, just north of Hartford, Kjos said.

Average prices on such routes are likely to be closer to $300 round trip, Kjos said, compared with many of Norwegian's fares that run more than $500 today because of higher fees levied by busier airports.

The potential plans are part of Norwegian's broader move to cut prices and take share from traditional flag carriers that dominate trans-Atlantic flying.

While airlines such as Deutsche Lufthansa AG offer travelers hundreds of destinations via connections in airport hubs, Norwegian is aiming to make nonstop service to small cities that straddle the Atlantic more common, which keeps costs low.

"I think you will see a lot to that effect within five years' time," Kjos said. "What will happen to (Lufthansa) when everyone starts to fly direct?"

Norwegian has 100 737 MAX jets from Boeing Co on order and expects to receive five in 2017. These planes are equipped to traverse the Atlantic but are smaller than most jets that currently do so, making them a better size for international flights to cities such as Birmingham in Britain, Kjos said.

Regulators will have to agree to set up customs stations at U.S. regional airports to handle international traffic, although Kjos said he is confident this can be arranged.

Norwegian is not the only airline to market cheap fares across the Atlantic.

Iceland's Wow Air recently offered one-way fares between Boston and Paris for $99. Lufthansa's low-cost subsidiary Eurowings is also starting cheap long-haul flights.

Kjos downplayed the competitive threat of Eurowings, saying, "I don't believe in their being able to operate low cost with a Boeing 767," in part because the widebody planes save less fuel and have smaller range than planes such as Boeing Dreamliners in Norwegian's fleet.

Norwegian separately reported Tuesday that it filled 96 percent of long-haul plane seats in September, helping the airline post better-than-expected results.

[Independent voter]

Can we Americans get refugee status in Europe?

[Strangebrew]

Oh boy! I just can't wait to meet all these americans coming to visit! Wow!

[Zogarth]

Can we Americans get refugee status in Europe?

Immigration is quite easy if you are educated and can easily find/already got work in the country.

Oh boy! I just can't wait to meet all these americans coming to visit! Wow!

Not a big fan of american culture in general, but they are normally really nice tourists.

[Notchris]

Oh boy! I just can't wait to meet all these americans coming to visit! Wow!

You'll take our tourism money and like it damn it!

[Noradin]

Can we Americans get refugee status in Europe?

Yes, if you can prove that you are prosecuted for your ethnicity, sexuality or religion, or political reasons, or in some cases if the death sentence awaits you at home.

[Independent voter]

Yes, if you can prove that you are prosecuted for your ethnicity, sexuality or religion, or political reasons, or in some cases if the death sentence awaits you at home.

What a great political cartoon, American goes to Sweden to apply for asylum! The two cultures are so different that the Swedes take him in. lol

[Super Kami Dende]

Yes, if you can prove that you are prosecuted for your ethnicity, sexuality or religion, or political reasons, or in some cases if the death sentence awaits you at home.

Or if you just want greener pastures because you can't manage to get your countries shit in order.

[Cosmic Janitor]

Do I need to bring my own turbines and/or kerosine on these flights ? :P

[GennGreymane]

I personally hope this happens, I cant wait for the tourist boom it will start!

[Deleted]

Get ready to pay for EVERYTHING.

[Cosmic Janitor]

I personally hope this happens, I cant wait for the tourist boom it will start!

Don't you have to pay the full price (which is extremely expensive) to get back again?

[Shurkuris]

I'm pretty sure with the 69 position with Swedish politicians or executives you could get a flight for free.

[GennGreymane]

Don't you have to pay the full price (which is extremely expensive) to get back again?

yeah, but the methods can get better over time.

[Independent voter]

The euro is still pretty high, I think we're looking at European tourists coming here more than the other way around.

[Cosmic Janitor]

yeah, but the methods can get better over time.

If you are waiting for deportation, then you will have wait a long time ..

[Auxora]

Pretty skeptical. US airlines advertise low price flights like this all the time for long domestic flights, and when you look into them the real prices are nowhere near that. They put "as low as" in tiny 1pt font under the ad, and then when you price it there might be 1 50 mile flight from 1 small city to another small city that's $69 and all other flights are $150+ each way. It's basically the old bait and switch routine like Black Friday tv sales, or loss leader. This airline could easily do the same by just offering 1 flight a year for that price that they know will sell out in a minute and they just kind of write off as a loss, and make every other flight regular price.

[Noradin]

What a great political cartoon, American goes to Sweden to apply for asylum! The two cultures are so different that the Swedes take him in. lol

Well, if I remember correctly someone applied for political asylum in Germany lately after they left the US army.
(It fell through, though)

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Or if you just want greener pastures because you can't manage to get your countries shit in order.

Nah, then you can only apply for immigration, not for refugee status.

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Don't you have to pay the full price (which is extremely expensive) to get back again?

Why would you want to go back?

[Vizardlorde]

Can i apply for political asylum as a cuban?

[Calzaeth]

Now if only Norwegian wasn't the one airliner I expect to have payment for both entrance AND exit from the toilet.

And a collection-machine hooked up to the roll of paper.