Norwegian Air aims to sell $69 flights to Europe from the US by 2017

Airline industry :  Europe’s third-largest budget airline is considering flights to Edinburgh and Bergen from US airports with little or no current international service
The airline Norwegian Air ASA hopes to sell one-way tickets to Europe for $69 (£45) as early as 2017 by flying from US airports that have low fees, its chief executive, Bjørn Kjos, said.

Europe’s third-largest budget airline was considering flights to Edinburgh, in Scotland and Bergen, in Norway from US airports with little or no current international service, such as New York’s Westchester county airport and Connecticut’s Bradley international airport, Kjos said.

Average prices on such routes were likely to be closer to $300 return, Kjos said, compared with many of Norwegian’s fares currently running at more than $500 because of higher fees levied by busier airports.

The potential plans are part of Norwegian’s broader move to cut prices and try to grab share from traditional flag carriers that dominate transatlantic flying.

While airlines such as Lufthansa offer travellers hundreds of destinations via connections in airport hubs, Norwegian is aiming to make nonstop service to small cities more common.

“I think you will see a lot to that effect within five years’ time,” Kjos said. “What will happen to [Lufthansa] when everyone starts to fly direct?” - Read More at the guardian

Norwegian Air aims to sell $69 flights to Europe from the US by 2017