Article from BTNews 18 DECEMBER 2017
Norwegian surge after slots coup
Plans for continued growth at Gatwick are in hand from Norwegian Air after it acquired 28 more weekly take-off and landing slots at the airport.
The slots were purchased from Lithuanian-based carrier Small Planet Airlines, with the transaction taking effect from next summer.
Also last week, Norwegian CEO Bjørn Kjos said the airline was expanding its long-haul network with four new routes between Europe and the US: New York JFK and Los Angeles to Madrid; New York JFK to Amsterdam; and Los Angeles to Milan.
On the Gatwick development, Kjos said the new slots would allow Norwegian to plan for continued growth in its busiest year yet in the UK in 2018. The airline already flies more than 4.6m passengers a year from there to more than 30 destinations.
“Gatwick is at the heart of our global growth ambitions so securing these crucial new slots will allow us to offer our passengers even more new routes, additional flights and affordable fares,” he added.
“Together with the launch of new routes to Argentina, Chicago and Austin in 2018, gaining extra capacity at Gatwick is another huge boost as we get ready for our biggest ever year in the UK.”
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