[AMcWhirter]

Interesting report in Buenos Aires’ ‘La Nacion’ today says Norwegian will be applying for the right to fly between London Gatwick and Buenos Aires.

http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1991459-norwegian-volara-desde-buenos-aires-a-londres-desde-us-400-ida-y-vuelta

If approval is granted the service could start later this year.

It would seem the Argentine govt would be the most enthusiastic given the tourist traffic which Norwegian would be able to generate.

Norwegian would hope to have a *one-way fare* of around US$400-$500. It would be expected to roster one of its B787s for the route.

This is all ties in with the news report we published last Monday. In other words, Norwegian intends to cut short-haul routes from Gatwick to free up slots for more lucrative long-haul services.

Norwegian to reduce Gatwick short-haul network

[icenspice]

AMcW, I read that as a lead-in price of $400-500 return! ex Buenos Aires.

[Edski777]

Ice, indeed, other media indicate that a single BUE – LGW should cost about USB 200.
An incredibly low price, but Norwegian will no doubt be adding extras for Seat reservation, luggage, meals, etc. But anyhow, this would be a massive pricecut compared to the current operators.
For the Spanish speaking amongst us: follow the link below.

Norwegian volará desde Buenos Aires a Londres desde US$ 200

Wait, see and hope?

[AMcWhirter]

icespace / Edski777 – Thanks for the update re the pricing.

But the wording “Norwegian has prepared a promotion for their arrival in Argentina: tickets from Buenos Aires to London between 400 and 500 dollars back and forth” suggests seats will be very limited at such a low price.

Low-cost long-haul carriers (LCCs) have a different marketing policy to conventional airlines.

Their really low lead-in prices appear designed to generate free advertising/publicity.

Take the case of Edinburgh-New York where its one-way lead-in price (as we explained within Online news dated February 23) is actually *less* than the rate for APD alone.

At first I thought it was a mistake until Norwegian informed me that its £69 one-way price did indeed include the flight plus APD and other airport charges.

Assuming Norwegian obtains traffic rights (and it plans to serve Buenos Aires from other European points too) there will be lower fares than what the conventional airlines currently charge. But those very cheap promo tickets will sell out quickly.

[conc001]

I can’t see this working. This is a very small market.

[TheLion]

[quote quote=796080]I can’t see this working. This is a very small market.

[/quote]

Yes agree. Low frequency might work and hopefully reduce the average fares, which are high, even though it is a long route.

[AMcWhirter]

I would agree but LCCs have a knack of drumming up business to unlikely destinations.

[Edski777]

And new operator Level will add capacity from Europe at very low tariffs to BUE as well. If it really is such a small market as stated above some operators must be seriously misguided.
Or can we expect an increase due to growth in business or tourism?

Argentina by the way is a beautiful country with friendly people, nice culture and great food (for meat lovers that is). So an increase in tourism wouldn’t surprise me.

[AMcWhirter]

And maybe soon there will be some news about Norwegian’s plans to operate Buenos Aires to London Gatwick.

Norwegian to expand with new airline in Argentina

[Charles-P]

Strange decision – it’s not as though there is much demand for this route.

[YellowBelly]

I fly regularly on the direct BA service between LHR and Buenos Aires. BA use a three cabin B772 (so no First class) and the flight is always busy, particularly in the European winter (so South American summer).
The Club World and World Traveller Plus cabins always seem to be full and a wander to the back of the plane usually shows few empty seats. Lufthansa (B747-8), KLM (B777), Air France (B777) and Iberia (A330) also have daily flights so there must be demand.

[Charles-P]

YellowBelly – I am truly surprised. Thanks for the information. I stand corrected.

[wastedlife]

I think Iberia is more than once a day most days of the week, and on the A346 rather than the A330.
I’m sure that ten years ago they had up to three frequencies a day – and it’s notable also that BA has gone back down to 5x weekly from daily.

There’ll be some interesting developments following this – I can’t see LATAM, now free of Kirschner’s favouritism for and interfering in favour of Aerolineas, taking it lying down. IAG clearly haven’t – and for connecting traffic cross Europe I would think BCN a better location than LGW. Ultimately though, EZE is a long long way south, and is only really a logical transit point in South America for Argentina and Chile – and even then, coming from Europe, GRU will often be more logical . So I am having a hard time believing this is a massive market, or that (with no offence) the average Argentinian back of the bus punter that Norwegian is after is going to deliver high yield at 15ish ARS to the USD.

[capetonianm]

There is a lot of traffic. I used to fly EU-BUE/SCL quite often and flights were generally full, at least the EU airlines, AR often not as it was such a lousy airline.

There is a lovely joke in Spain about “what’s the best university in the world?”

The flight from Buenos Aires to Madrid, because when the Argentinos board the flight, they are waiters, mechanics, cooks, bank clerks, and so on, and 12 hours later on arrival they are hotel directors, civil engineers, executive chefs, company directors, bank managers ……..
(One has to know something about the Argentinians to fully appreciate this.)

[icenspice]

Probably one of the most expensive l/h routes from Europe, at any time of the year. I have paid €2,500 for an Economy ‘back and forth’.

AMcW, I will try out this expression the next time at Victoria – ‘a day back and forth to Brighton, please’….just to see the reaction!!!

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