Building a New Airline from Scratch: Now Flying NYC-Paris

By Samantha Butts

Norse Atlantic Airways is a Norwegian airline on the rise with tickets starting to sell in April and the first flights expected to take off last June.

In March 2023, the airline announced new routes from NYC to Paris and other European cities.

The company was launched in March 2021 by founder and CEO Bjørn Tore Larsen with the hope to offer affordable fares on transatlantic routes.

Larsen found a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build Norse Atlantic Airways after the pandemic heightened people’s need for travel.

Norse Atlantic Airways Announces NYC-Paris and other European Destinations

“Surveys show that what people have missed the most during one and a half year of lock-down is travel and new experiences,” said Larsen. “People will once again go on vacation, visit friends and family, and travel for business.”

However, the company was also started after the near downfall of Norwegian Air. The pandemic threw the heavily indebted Norwegian into bankruptcy due to limited air travel, eventually forcing the airline into terminating parts of its operations.

This initially opened the market for Norse Atlantic Airways and allowed them to purchase several aircraft from Norwegian Air.

However, Norwegian Air returned to the market only six months after entering bankruptcy protection. Although, the airline returned with a much smaller fleet, dropping its early ambition of being the world’s cheapest trans-Atlantic carrier after being unable to sustain these cheap flights.

Norse Atlantic Airways Flights

The upcoming airline will serve the intercontinental market.

Among other destinations, it will serve New York, Florida, Paris, London, and Oslo. Some of the company’s first flights will be from Oslo to the United States.

Tickets for sale

Norse Atlantic Airways has opened ticket sales for flights between Norway and the United States with the full launch of its site.

Current economy fares below as of 3/27/23 from New York JFK to Paris Charles de Gualle:

• JFK – CDG: $235 (one-way)
• – JFK: $289 (one-way)
• Round Trip: $524

To book and for more information, please visit Norse Atlantic Airways website www.flynorse.com

Fares will start at $129 on-way, including all applicable fees. The airline will serve New York (JFK), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Orland0 (MCO) and Los Angeles (LAX) from Oslo.

The first flight departing from Oslo to New York (JFK) will take place on June 14 2022.

Routes and fares from London and Paris to the U.S. and more U.S. destinations will be announced by the airline soon.

“The introduction of affordable Norse Atlantic Airways point-to point flights between Europe and the United States, will benefit both local tourism and businesses,” said Larsen. “Not only are we directly investing in the countries that we operate by employing local staff we are also supporting job creation across the wider tourism and service industry.”

The emerging airline’s goals

Lasse Sandaker-Nielson, the chief communications and public affairs officer at Norse Atlantic Airways, said that one of the company’s goals “is to offer the traveling public on both sides of the Atlantic affordable fares.”

Following the pandemic, prices are extremely high and Norse Atlantic wants to enter the market and offer something different with prices that will not break the bank. They not only want to provide affordable flights but offer those flights to the most popular travel destinations.

Why fly with Norse Atlantic Airways?

Norse has a fleet of 15 modern, fuel-efficient, and more environmentally friendly Boeing 787 Dreamliners. The Boeing 787 Dreamers boast a better way to fly.

The airplanes have 20-25% fewer CO2 emissions and unparalleled fuel efficiency, which will allow Norse Atlantic the lowest carbon footprint per passenger according to Sandaker-Nielson at Norse.

For the passengers, the Dreamliners will leave feeling better after their flights compared to other airplanes. With lower cabin altitude, cleaner air, and better humidity, the Dreamliners offer a flight with more comfort and less fatigue.

Norse Atlantic Airways will have more seats on each airplane than its competitors. This will decrease the carbon footprint of each passenger and will allow the company to provide flights for more customers.

Obstacles in launching

Norse Atlantic Airways has had some obstacles come its way that has slowed the company’s launch. At first, the company faced the pandemic and had to wait for travel restrictions to be lifted.

Recently, however, the Russia-Ukraine war has impacted their launch. The current market is heavily impacted by the tragic events in Ukraine that have resulted in increased fuel prices.

When the conflict first started, Sandaker-Nielson at Norse said, “the demand for travel stopped overnight.”

However, this is no longer the case.

To ensure that Norse Atlantic Airways enters the market at the appropriate time, the company adjusted its launch of tickets. The company will be selling tickets sometime in April.

“The tragedy unfolding in Ukraine creates uncertainties within international air transport that we take seriously,” said Bjørn Tore Larsen of Norse. “Norse’s flexible fleet arrangements, low-cost base and strong financial foundation allow us to take a careful approach to launch.”

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