FLEET - Pakistan International Airlines have approved leasing five aircraft, including two B787s on wet lease from Norse Atlantic (Norway) and three aircraft on dry lease, while directing the procurement of spare parts.

Photo: Duncan Stewart - LAX

FLEET - IndiGo Airlines damp-leases two more B787-9s

IndiGo Airlines (6E, Delhi International) will damp-lease two more B787-9 from Norse Atlantic Airways, expanding the existing contract for four aircraft of the type from the Norwegian airline. The two additional B787-9s are expected to start operating in IndiGo's network by early 2026, the low-cost carrier announced.The damp-lease agreement has an initial duration of six months, with the possibility of extension up to 18 months, subject to regulatory approval.
Norse Atlantic Airways has been operating one B787-9 LN-FNC (msn 38790) for IndiGo since March 1, 2025, with three more set to be deployed on IndiGo's routes in the second half of 2025.
IndiGo recently announced plans to start new services from India to Manchester and Amsterdam Schiphol in July 2025 as part of its drive to connect its home market with European destinations. The company intends to utilise Norse's aircraft on long-haul routes, eventually replacing them with A350-900s. IndiGo has 30 widebody aircraft on order from Airbus, and the first jet is scheduled to arrive in 2027.
Despite the ambitious plans to expand its reach to Europe, the airline has not yet scheduled any services.
Norse Atlantic Airways currently operates eight B787-9s, while its subsidiary Norse Atlantic (United Kingdom) has four of the type. The new contract with IndiGo aligns with Norse's strategy to diversify its revenue streams by focusing more on ACMI and charter operations.
CH Aviation
Photo: Duncan Stewart

FLEET - IndiGo Airlines to damp-lease B787-9 in late 1Q25

IndiGo Airlines (6E, Delhi International) has signed a firm agreement with Norse Atlantic Airways (N0, Oslo Gardermoen) to damp-lease one B787-9 for at least six months, in line with the Indian carrier's plans to expand its international network in 2025.

The aircraft, LN-FNC (msn 38790) is due to arrive in India "in the next few weeks" and expected to begin revenue flights for IndiGo Airlines in March 2025, the carriers said. The six-month agreement may be extended up to 18 months, subject to regulatory approvals. The airline said it would "continue exploring opportunities to contract additional aircraft" but did not confirm if any more deals had already been signed.

LN-FNC is 6.8 years old and was first delivered to Norwegian (Oslo Gardermoen) in May 2018, remaining with that carrier until March 2022. It joined the Norse Atlantic Airways fleet in February 2022.

The unit, which is owned by AerCap, is equipped with Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines and configured with 56 premium economy and 282 economy seats.

Previous reports suggested IndiGo Airlines may lease up to six B787-9s from Norse Atlantic Airways in 2025, while it continues discussions with Airbus to speed up the deliveries of its first firm-ordered A350-900s. Local media reported at the time that the first two B787-9s were to begin flying for the carrier in February 2025, followed by the other four in September 2025.

The airframes would allow the Indian carrier to launch its first widebody long-haul routes and could be deployed to Europe, in line with its strategy to become a global airline by 2030. London and Paris have been flagged as potential initial destinations.

IndiGo Airlines does not currently operate any in-house widebodies. The ch-aviation fleets module shows it wet-leases two B777-300ERs from Turkish Airlines (TK, Istanbul Airport) which operate exclusively between Istanbul Airport and Mumbai International and Delhi International. The first of thirty A350-900s that it ordered in 2024 are only due for delivery in 2027.

Norse Atlantic Airways operates a fleet of eight B787-9s, four of which are currently inactive. Subsidiary Norse Atlantic (United Kingdom) operates another four units of the type. The airline announced in December 2024 that its had signed a letter of intent with an unnamed "reputable international airline" to wet-lease out six of its B787-9s as it seeks to reduce business risk by securing longer-term ACMI contracts.

CH Aviation

Photo: Boeing

 

Norway's Norse Atlantic shifts focus to more ACMI, charter

Norse Atlantic Airways (N0, Oslo Gardermoen) has announced it is revising its business strategy by allocating at least half of its fleet capacity to ACMIs and charter services from the fourth quarter and throughout the IATA winter season.In a statement announcing its second quarter results for 2024, the Norwegian airline said the third quarter was being dominated by its own flying, but the pivot to more ACMIs and charters was aimed at greater profitability and better risk management during the upcoming European winter. This comes after the airline recorded a 115% fall in revenue per passenger in the second quarter on the back of lower industry fares. The revenue slump came despite a 105% rise in available seat kilometres, an 89% rise in flight frequencies, 99% growth in passengers, and load factors improving to 82% compared to the second quarter of 2023.
"Following a strong transatlantic market in Summer 2023, many airlines increased capacity for 2024, leading to the softening of fares and impacting all carriers serving that market," the airline explained.
Its revised business plan will see more of Norse Atlantic's fleet’s capacity and revenue locked into longer-term contracts, leaving the carrier with lower market risk and a significant cost reduction in the future. Founder and CEO Bjorn Tore Larsen said Norse Atlantic was negotiating with several airlines regarding multi-year contracts for fleet allocation, some of which would have an impact from the end of 2024 if they materialise. He said more details would be disclosed in autumn 2024.
Meanwhile, he said, the airline has agreed in principle to commercial terms with one of its lessors to streamline its fleet by redelivering three B787-8 widebodies in 2024, which will result in Norse Atlantic operating a uniform fleet of B787-9s.
"The three B787-8s have the shortest lease term remaining and have been subleased by the company. The agreement will result in Norse having a uniform, flexible, and cost-efficient fleet of B787-9 aircraft only. The transaction is expected to result in a significant accounting gain. Completion of the early redelivery is subject to the completion of formal documentation and execution of the aircraft redeliveries," he elaborated.
From the end of May, Norse Atlantic increased its fleet of own-operated aircraft from 10 to 12 after it took delivery of two B787-9s from sublease as planned, representing a capacity growth of 20%. This created further economies of scale across the business and helped reduce unit cost in the second quarter, it said. The airline now expects to see a further decrease in the cost of available seat kilometres (CASK) in the third quarter.
According to the ch-aviation fleets module, the Norse Atlantic fleet includes twelve B787-9s, of which seven are under its Norwegian AOC and five under its UK AOC, Norse Atlantic (United Kingdom) (Z0, London Gatwick). The aircraft are on operating leases from BOC Aviation and AerCap, respectively. The carrier serves transatlantic flights between Europe (Oslo Gardermoen, Athens, Berlin Brandenburg International, London Heathrow, Paris CDG, and Rome Fiumicino) and the United States (New York JFK, Los Angeles International, Miami International, Las Vegas Harry Reid), Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (Thailand), and Cape Town International (South Africa).

ROUTES - Norse Atlantic inaugurates flights to Los Angeles and San Francisco from London

Norse Atlantic Airways launched flights to Los Angeles and San Francisco from London-Gatwick on June 30 and July 1, respectively.

The London-Los Angeles route will operate daily flights, with fares starting at $209 each way (including taxes and fees).

The London-San Francisco route will operate three flights a week, with fares starting at $229 each way (including taxes and fees).

→ Norse Atlantic Airways inaugurates flights between Rome and New York

“Los Angeles and San Francisco are now the fifth and sixth destinations connecting London to the U.S. With the addition of these two destinations, Norse Atlantic becomes the largest operator of long-haul flights from London-Gatwick to the U.S. We are proud to offer our customers an affordable and convenient way to travel,” said Bjorn Tore Larsen, CEO of Norse Atlantic Airways.

Norse Atlantic exclusively operates Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft with two cabin options, Economy and Norse Premium.

Norse Atlantic Airways Launches ticket sales from London Gatwick to Orlando and Fort Lauderdale with fares starting from £409 return

Norse Atlantic Airways launches the sale of two new routes, London Gatwick to Orlando and Fort Lauderdale. The flights to Orlando will begin on 25thMay 2023 and to Fort Lauderdale on 26th May 2023, with fares starting from £409 return including taxes. The new routes will be in addition to the current daily London to New York service that began in August 2022.

Flights to Orlando will operate four times a week in May and June and then a daily service in the height of the summer peak season with fares starting from £409 return including taxes. Flights to Fort Lauderdale will operate three times a week in May and June and four times a week for the rest of the summer season with fares starting from £410 return including taxes. Flights are available to book now on www.flynorse.com

“We are very pleased to announce two new routes from London Gatwick to the popular holiday destination of Florida. In addition to our current daily New York flights we will also be releasing for sale further destinations between London and the US by the end of February. As a result, our UK based airline, Norse Atlantic UK, will serve more destinations to the US from London Gatwick than any other carrier this summer.

We look forward to a busy summer ahead as we bring value fares and a fantastic service to passengers looking to travel across the Atlantic.” said Bjorn Tore Larsen, CEO Norse Atlantic Airways.

“It’s fantastic to see Norse Atlantic add two new Florida services from London Gatwick Airport, to complement their current New York route. This will bring different products to our transatlantic portfolio, at affordable prices.

Both Orlando and Fort Lauderdale are understandably very popular destinations, especially among families, so it’s great news for passengers across London and the Southeast to have more choice ahead of the summer holidays,” said Stewart Wingate, chief executive officer, Gatwick Airport.

Norse Atlantic exclusively operates Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. The cabin offers passengers a relaxed and comfortable travel experience with each seat including a personal state of the art entertainment experience. Our Premium cabin offers an industry leading 43” seat pitch and 12” recline allowing passengers to arrive at their destination feeling refreshed and ready to explore their destination.

Norse Atlantic offers two cabin choices, Economy and Premium. Passengers can choose from a simple range of fares, Light, Classic and Plus, that reflect the way that they want to travel, and which options are important to them. Light fares represent Norse’s value option while Plus fares include the maximum baggage allowance, two meal services an enhanced airport and onboard experience and increased ticket flexibility.

Customers looking to explore the world and enjoy unbeatable value can access even greater choice and convenience thanks to the airline’s connectivity partnership with easyJet, Norwegian and Spirit Airlines. The virtual interline agreement, powered by Dohop, provides over 600 weekly connections to Norse’s transatlantic services at our key international hubs including London Gatwick.

Philip Allport

Norse Atlantic Airways outlines initial network due in 2Q22

Norse Atlantic Airways (Oslo Gardermoen) has outlined its initial network with its first flight, from Oslo Gardermoen to New York JFK, scheduled to depart on June 14, 2022.

The Norwegian long-haul low-cost carrier plans to operate the following routes out of Oslo during the summer 2022 season:
New York JFK (starting on June 14, daily as of July 4),
Fort Lauderdale Int'l (3x weekly starting on June 18),
Orlando Int'l (3x weekly starting on July 5), and
Los Angeles Int'l (3x weekly starting on August 9).

The airline will soon announce its transatlantic plans from Paris and London Gatwick, the latter operated by Norse Atlantic (United Kingdom) (London Gatwick). It also plans to add more destinations in North America.

The start-up originally aimed to launch in April 2022 but deferred those plans due to market volatility. In its initial US foreign air carrier permit application, it indicated plans to fly to Ontario and Newburgh instead of Los Angeles and JFK but eventually settled for the main airports in the respective agglomerations.

Norse Atlantic Airways will be an all-B787 carrier with plans to operate three B787-8s and twelve B787-9s in the early phase.

ch-aviation

Norse Atlantic Airways defers launch to late 2Q22

Norse Atlantic Airways (Oslo Gardermoen) has announced it will now launch in June 2022, rather than in April, due to rising fuel prices and market uncertainty resulting from the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

"The tragedy unfolding in Ukraine creates uncertainties within international air transport that we take seriously. Norse's flexible fleet arrangements, low-cost base and strong financial foundation allow us to take a careful approach to launch. We are in a unique position as we have not yet started flying, which gives us the advantage to enter the market cautiously in line with demand and quickly adapt to unforeseen events," Chief Executive and Founder Bjørn Tore Larsen said.

The Norwegian long-haul low-cost carrier will begin ticket sales in April. Its initial network will comprise services from Oslo Gardermoen to destinations in the United States, which have yet to be identified. According to the US foreign air carrier permit filing, Norse plans to serve Fort Lauderdale Int'l, Ontario, and Newburgh initially.

Norse Atlantic Airways has also said it has now secured two 6x weekly slot pairs at London Gatwick, crucial for its planned transatlantic operations from the British gateway operated by Norse Atlantic (United Kingdom). Having failed to acquire slots from Norwegian Group earlier, the start-up said it has now been allocated the slots by Airport Coordination Limited (ACL-UK) at no cost.

The airline plans to launch services from Gatwick at some point in summer 2022, although it did not provide a detailed timeline. It said that its network plans also comprise long-haul services from Paris "as soon as the market situation allows".

The start-up plans to focus on long-haul services with a fleet of B787s. It has thus far taken seven B787-9s and plans to add a further three B787-8s and five -9s, the ch-aviation fleets advanced module shows.

ch aviation

Norse Atlantic Airways takes delivery of its first aircraft

Today Norse Atlantic Airways took delivery of its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. The arrival of the aircraft was celebrated at Oslo Airport and the new airline is on track to start transatlantic flights in spring 2022.

“The delivery of our first Dreamliner marks an important milestone for us at Team Norse as it brings us one step closer to the launch of attractive and affordable transatlantic flights,” said Bjørn Tore Larsen, CEO and founder of Norse Atlantic Airways.

The flight from Warsaw, Poland was operated by Norse’s own captains Kjetil Risan, Derek Spicer, Dean Kitchen and Ulf Heikmann.

Norse’s first aircraft is a state-of-the-art Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and is leased from BOC Aviation, one of the world’s largest aircraft leasing companies. The airline’s aircraft will be named after popular national parks, and this plane is named Rondane (one of Norway’s largest national parks). Norse’s planned fleet of aircraft consists of 12 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and three Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners. The next deliveries will continue until April and all aircraft will be initially parked at Oslo Airport.

“We believe that transatlantic travel will resume with full force once the pandemic is behind us. People will want to explore new destinations, visit friends and family and travel for business. Norse will be there to offer attractive and affordable flights on our more environmentally friendly Dreamliners to both the leisure and cost-conscious business traveler,” Larsen added.

Norse plans to start commercial operation in spring 2022 with the first flights connecting Oslo to select cities in the U.S.

The aircraft lease is at attractive rates and payment terms, allowing the Company a flexible implementation during start-up of its operation, with Norse only paying on a “power by the hour” basis at the outset.

Building a new aviation adventure – with the right people 


Norse Atlantic Airways is building a new airline that will offer affordable transatlantic flights. Our vision is to be ‘The Explorer’s Airline’. We are building a high-performance culture and creating an environment where we value diversity, and all colleagues feel a sense of belonging. Not only are we going to work smarter, better, and faster than our competitors, but we will also be known for our excellent customer service. Our unique Team Norse culture will be our competitive advantage. Thousands of talented people have already applied for positions, and we currently have 25 new job openings at our head office in Arendal and our office in London. When all our 15 Boeing 787 Dreamliners are in the air, we expect to be a dedicated team of 1,600 in the air and on the ground. https://careers.flynorse.com/ 
Norse

 

Norse Atlantic may have to settle for London Stansted

 Norse Atlantic Airways (Oslo Gardermoen) has so far focused on launching its transatlantic routes from London Gatwick when it starts operations next spring, but for now, it has only been allocated slots at smaller London Stansted, the British travel news site TTG reported citing filings to slot coordinators.


Last month, the Norwegian start-up said that it would launch non-stop flights from Fort Lauderdale Int'l to Paris, London, and Oslo Gardermoen in 2022. The first route is expected to be from Oslo at the end of March 2022. It also plans to serve transatlantic services to Ontario in the Los Angeles area and Newburgh near New York.

The filings show that the airline asked slot manager Airport Coordination Limited for 2,722 slots at Stansted for next summer and received the entire allocation. It also applied for 5,445 slots at Gatwick but failed to secure them in the preliminary allocation process.

While both Gatwick and Stansted did not respond to TTG's request for comment, a Norse Atlantic Airways spokesperson said: "We view both Gatwick and Stansted as potential bases for our UK operation, and we are still keeping our options open."

In an e-mail to the Norwegian online business newspaper E24 Næringsliv, Norse Atlantic Airways CEO Bjørn Tore Larsen said: "We are confident we will get the departure and landing permits we want at Gatwick, and at the same time we also consider Stansted an attractive airport for Norse."
ch aviation

Norse Atlantic Airways and the British Airline Pilots Association announce partnership to bring hundreds of jobs to the UK 22 Sep

Norse Atlantic Airways (“Norse”) and the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) have entered into an agreement that will deliver hundreds of jobs in the UK.

Norse plans to commence affordable flights between Europe and North America in 2022, with a fleet of more environmentally friendly Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

Norse Atlantic Airways´ CEO Bjorn Tore Larsen said:

“We are thrilled to be collaborating with BALPA to offer pilots the opportunity to return to the cockpit and create hundreds of new jobs in the UK, especially following a tough time for the entire aviation industry.”

“The passion and professionalism demonstrated by the BALPA team are exactly what we are looking for at Norse as we build a Team Norse culture throughout the entire airline which will be our lasting competitive advantage.”

BALPA’s National Officer Terry Brandon, said:

“This is a glimmer of hope for the struggling UK aviation industry that is much needed. We are pleased to welcome Norse Atlantic to London and the new jobs they will deliver at this critical time.”

“Our negotiating team has been incredibly impressed with the company’s business plan as it will provide sustainable long-term careers for our members on its transatlantic route network. This collective agreement will facilitate a fruitful relationship between BALPA and Norse to ensure that Norse is a great place to work.”

“With some government restrictions now being lifted, we hope the newest member of the BALPA family flourishes, and our new agreement with Norse provides opportunities for hundreds of our members.”

Dave Corry
LN-LNO B787-9 Norse Atlantic
Under tow between hangars at Shannon 1/10/2021.

Norse Atlantic outlines maiden US route plans

By David Casey

 The long-haul LCC startup is planning to open a trio of routes from Norway’s capital.

Norse Atlantic Airways has unveiled its initial network strategy, outlining plans to fly to three points in the US from the Norwegian capital Oslo.

A request has been lodged with the US Transportation Department (DOT) for an exemption and foreign carrier permit. The document says that Norse expects to receive its air operator’s certificate from Norway’s civil aviation authority Luftfartstilsynet in early November.

From Oslo Gardermoen (OSL), the transatlantic startup wants to open routes to Fort Lauderdale (FLL), New York Stewart (SWF) and Ontario (ONT) outside Los Angeles.

Although no start date has been given, Norse hopes to begin scheduled operations during the summer 2022 season. Initial flights will begin with three Boeing 787s in a two-cabin configuration.

In its application to the DOT, Norse said it plans to partner with local communities, tourism organizations, businesses and labor to bring its product to the US market and “create new, good-paying jobs for Americans.”

The airline added its flights would result in “increased travel opportunities, greater service options, and enhanced competition, thereby benefiting travelers and consumers” in Norway, the US and Europe.

Norse is seeking to avoid the union objections that Norwegian Air Shuttle faced and has vowed to act in accordance with all applicable labor laws. As part of this effort the startup has already forged agreements with two major labor unions.

In May, the Association of Flight Attendants approved a pre-hire deal for a minimum of US-based flight attendant jobs, and earlier this month an agreement was reached with the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA).

Norse’s initial network strategy is similar to that previously employed by Norwegian prior to its exit from the transatlantic market. From Oslo, the airline is targeting three big leisure destinations with large catchment areas—New York, Los Angeles and South Florida—but opting to fly to lower cost airports.

According to data provided by OAG Schedules Analyser, Norwegian served Oslo-Fort Lauderdale until the onset of the pandemic in March 2020. The LCC also flew to the Florida airport from Barcelona (BCN), Copenhagen (CPH), London Gatwick (LGW), Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Stockholm Arlanda (ARN) at various points in recent years.

New York Stewart was also previously on Norwegian’s route map. SWF was served from Belfast International (BFS), Bergen (BGO), Dublin (DUB), Edinburgh (EDI) and Shannon (SNN).

Should Norse launch the three routes as proposed, the latest OAG data shows that indirect competition will be provided by SAS Scandinavian Airlines, which serves Newark Liberty (EWR) from Oslo and plans to add Miami (MIA) to its schedule in November.

After launching from Oslo, Norse intends to add transatlantic service from other points in Europe, with London and Paris thought to be targets. Speaking to ATW on Sept. 23, CEO Bjorn Tore Larsen said London Heathrow (LHR) was unlikely but talks were ongoing with other London airports.

“This is a very challenging business, and it is too easy to lose money, but I think there has never been a better time to launch because we got the airplanes at very attractive terms and we got that at absolutely the low point in the market,” he said.

Photo credit: Norse Atlantic Airways

Norse Atlantic to link London Gatwick and US in 2022 - union

 

Norse Atlantic Airways is due to start operating from London Gatwick when it launches operations between Europe and the United States in 2022, the British and Irish transport workers union Unite revealed after meeting representatives of the low-cost long-haul start-up.

The airline is expected to hire former employees of Norwegian staffing firm Norwegian Air Resources UK Limited, which halted its operations earlier this year, the union said in a statement on August 17.

“Unite met with Norse Atlantic Airways last week and is set to agree a timetable for further discussions on the collective bargaining agreements for our members following the signing of a recognition agreement earlier this year,” explained Unite regional officer Claire Simpson.

The news is “a much needed boost for the UK aviation industry” as the embattled sector navigates its way out of the pandemic, she added, and “for Gatwick Airport in particular.”

“Norse Atlantic is looking to start operations next year and this will be a vital opportunity for former Norwegian Air Resources employees, many of them Unite members, who were made redundant in January,” she said.

Norse Atlantic Airways responded to ch-aviation’s request for comment by saying: “We have made no announcements about a potential LGW start-up. However, we have said that London is an interesting market for Norse, which is why the company has talks with local unions.” It added that “Norse Atlantic Airways values Unite as one of our key social partners. The association shares the same core principles in that we wish to be a career airline and an airline of choice.”

Last week, Gatwick said it had lost GBP244.6 million pounds (USD335 million) during the half-year period ending June 30, 2021, which chief executive Stewart Wingate described as “the most challenging six months the airport has witnessed.” Forced travel bans and a collapse in demand saw just 569,000 people pass through the airport during the period. Wingate urged the British government “to act now and remove unnecessary and costly PCR testing requirements for passengers, particularly for those double vaccinated” or risk lagging behind the US and Europe.

Norse Atlantic Airways’ first B787-9 rolled out of the International Aerospace Coatings (IAC) paint shop in Shannon on August 15, the airline revealed with images on social media. Registered as LN-LNO (msn 38779), as when it flew under Norwegian, it is the first of 15 of the type Norse Atlantic will lease in its livery, though it is still awaiting its Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 J2 engines.

ch aviation

Norse Atlantic unveils livery

Longhaul low-cost start-up Norse Atlantic has unveiled its livery on 10 August. It is expected that the first aircraft to wear the livery will be former Norwegian B787-9 LN-LNO (38779), which is currently in the paint hangar at Shannon. According to the airline's press release Norse's branding "is inspired by the Oseberg longship in Oslo, a symbol of the long lasting ingenuity of Viking explorers".

Norse Atlantic has secured leases for fifteen B787-9s with lessors AerCap and BOC Aviation and plans to launch by Q1- or Q2-2022 but expects to have its full fleet in use by the start of the 2022 summer season.

Illustration by Norse Atlantic Airways. 

AerCap confirms lease of 9 B787s to Norse Atlantic Airways

Following-up on our report about the launch of Norse Atlantic Airways, lessor AerCap has now confirmed they are the ones that signed a lease-deal for nine B787s with the Norwegian start-up. The lease-agreement entails the lease of six B787-9s and three B787-8s, all of which former Norwegian. The aircraft are set to be delivered this year and the nine Dreamliners involved are:
B787-8 LN-LND (35310), currently parked at Glasgow-Prestwick
B787-8 LN-LNF (35313), currently parked at Shannon
B787-8 LN-LNG (35314), currently parked at Glasgow-Prestwick
B787-9 LN-LNO (38779), currently parked at Shannon
B787-9 LN-LNR (38784), currently parked at Shannon
B787-9 G-CKOF (38786), currently parked at Shannon
B787-9 G-CKWB (38788), currently parked at Shannon
B787-9 G-CKWD (38789) currently parked at London-Gatwick
B787-9 G-CKWE (38790), currently parked at Shannon

Scramble