Norwegian to set up a Madrid base in 2014, Barcelona on the cards

Norwegian (DY, Oslo Gardermoen) is to open a base at Madrid Barajas during the course of 2014 to help aide the airline, Europe's third largest low cost carrier, in its fight against Ryanair (FR, Dublin Int'l) and easyJet

(U2, London Luton) market dominance. Quoting unnamed sources close to the development, Spanish news wire ABC.es said the establishment of the hub would likely come during the first half of the year with Barcelona El Prat having also being considered. Last week, Spain's Development Minister, Ana Pastor, alluded to an unspecified airline being interested in establishing a new Madrid hub with an agreement reportedly in the process of finalization. Although its Madrid operations are currently restricted to flights to Copenhagen Kastrup, Norwegian does connect Scandinavia, the United Kingdom and Germany with Spanish Sun destinations via very prominent networks out of Alicante, Las Palmas, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca Son Sant Joan and Tenerife Sur
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Photo:FPP - Lisboa