Norwegian Air To Offer $65 Transatlantic Flights

Low cost carrier Norwegian Air will offer flights from the United States to Europe starting at $65 one way.  

The routes, which will be increased to a starting fare of $99 after the introductory period, will fly out of smaller airports in New York, Rhode Island and Connecticut to European cities including Belfast, Fork, Dublin and Shannon, Ireland; and Edinburgh, Scotland.  

The $69 nonrefundable tickets are “extremely limited” according to Norwegian, and are stripped of such amenities as baggage, food, drinks and reserved seats.   

Norwegian Air received permission to fly transatlantic flights after establishing its Irish subsidiary Norwegian Air International in December.  

Traditional carriers are eyeing the new competition; according to Google Flights, the average fare from traditional carriers between New York and Dublin is close to $800. International Airlines Group, which operates Aer Lingus and British Airways among other airlines, already plans to start its own low-cost flights from Barcelona to the United States sometime this year. Air France-KLM also plans to unveil a new low-cost transatlantic option through Eurowings.  

A fierce debate has been raging in the United states, meanwhile, over whether or not the carrier should be allowed to fly here. Critics say the airline undermines labor-related rights guaranteed by the Open Skies agreement. The Air Line Pilots Association, which represents 55,000 pilots on 32 different airlines, has appealed the decision of the Transportation Department to allow Norwegian flights and is urging President Trump to overturn the decision.  

Still, the airline has gotten some support from the White House, where spokesman Sean Spicer called Norwegian’s practices, including hiring U.S. crews and buying Boeing planes, “a huge economic interest” for the United States.