[Anonymous]

[NameRemoved-18/12/14]

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/jul/02/norwegian-low-cost-transatlantic-flight-gatwick-la

With the first Norwegian flight from LGW en route to LA, is anyone tempted to try its longhaul routes?

I had forgotten about these new routes but I will certainly be looking here for a o/w fare from FLL or JFK after a trip to San Juan at the end of the summer.

[BigDog.]

Topic is already being covered here Alexpo1. Best keep it to a single thread.

http://www.businesstraveller.com/discussion/topic/Alex-on…-can-Norwegian-really-fly-transatlantic-low-cost#postn_123928

[NameRemoved-18/12/14]

Oops BigDog, I missed your post on 30th June!

[LuganoPirate]

In a word Alexpo, “No”.

[NameRemoved-18/12/14]

Not even in Premium LP?

😯

[LuganoPirate]

Not even in premium I’m afraid Alexpo.

[AMcWhirter]

Los Angeles-London flight delayed for three days/two nights this week.

Norwegian uses its long-haul aircraft intensively so there can be a lack of back-up depending on where in the world you are.

That was the case at Los Angeles (LAX) last Wednesday when, owing to a technical glitch, the flight to London Gatwick (LGW) was delayed for two days. According to news reports, the flight to LGW did not depart until Friday afternoon Los Angeles time.

Passengers vented their frustrations towards hapless airline employees at Los Angeles airport.

This is, perhaps, not surprising because owing to a lack of available hotel accommodation, many of the passengers had to sleep two nights on the airport terminal floor.

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Cancelled-Norwegian-Air-Shuttle-Flight-Strands-Hundreds-at-LAX-for-Days-268604312.html

http://abc7.com/travel/norwegian-air-passengers-stranded-at-lax-for-2-days/220262/

[SimonS1]

Sounds very similar to the shambles that was FlyGlobespan.

[NameRemoved-18/12/14]

Hello Alex

Last night I was about to book a o/w Premium seat from JFK, but at the back of my mind was above scenario. Have now found a cheaper and more convenient flight on another carrier.

[SimonS1]

Interesting Alex – appears from Twitter tonight that Friday’s Fort Lauderdale to LGW is also currently running 2 DAYS late!! Although bizarrely their own website says it has been cancelled.

https://mobile.twitter.com/Fly_Norwegian/tweets
http://www.norwegian.com/uk/customer-services/flight-status/

Indeed this seems to be becoming an unfortunate habit having happened in May as well.

http://www.newsinenglish.no/2014/05/04/more-long-delays-for-norwegian-air-passengers/

To be honest it sounds like it all needs to be given a wide berth.

[AMcWhirter]

Thanks for the info, Simon.

Yes the return Gatwick-Fort Lauderdale leg is now running 42 hours late. Andwhat makes it worse is that, according to a complaint on Norwegian’s twitter page, the flight will be operating without any food or drink.

I noticed that in July, another Norwegian flight between Orlando and Oslo suffered a 44 hour delay.

http://www.newsinenglish.no/2014/06/23/more-dreamliner-trouble-strands-norwegians/

The problem with Norwegian’s long-haul operation is that the carrier is using its B787s too intensively for a plane type which has yet to achieve high reliability.

Previously the impacy of some delays (on long-haul services to/from Scandinavia) were mitigated by Norwegian hiring in planes from Portugal’s EuroAtlantic and other carriers where necessary.

But now is one of the airlines’ busiest times of year and so, it would seem, the availability of spare planes is limited.

———————————————————————–

alexpo1 – glad your trip is now sorted out.

[Holte75]

I posted the below as a comment on a story about DY a couple of weeks ago, but it didn’t get any replies, so apologies for reposting, but adding it here in case anyone who sees this has any insight. Thanks in advance…

Can anyone clarify the position around the US DOT approval (or lack of) for these flights?

My understanding is the Irish entity (NAI – Norwegian Air International) does not yet have the necessary approval & yet the services have commenced. If I understand it correctly, NAI was established in Ireland to provide a separate (EU-based) legal entity from the Norwegian entity (Norwegian Air Shuttle – NAS), which could operate longhaul flights to/from the EU (and hence the UK) as an EU-based carrier (because Norway is not in the EU).

If I have this correct, can anyone confirm the position around these flights & how they have been able to commence without the US DOT approval? I assume they will have to stop if it is refused?

I have read somewhere that they are technically being operated by NAS with NAI effectively codesharing them until approval is (or isn’t received), but that leaves the question as to how the non-EU carrier (NAS) can operate from the UK to the US – because if they could do that, surely it would negate the need for the Irish carrier & NAI in the first place?

[AMcWhirter]

Hello Holte75

I am sure some/or all the answers to your questions will emerge during the Court case which will be heard in Stockholm.

http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/100721/norwegian-faces-legal-
challenge-over-flight-delays

[Holte75]

Thanks Alex, yes, I imagine that topic may well come up. I was surprised how little info I could find on it when googling the subject, except that the approval was still unresolved.

I’m not an expert on this, but the fact the legal new cases are being brought in a Swedish court rather than Norwegian is interesting, because I assume EU261 would apply, especially if the tickets concerned were booked on DY’s Swedish site for travel ex Sweden.

[Author]

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