Norwegian in Rio challenge

British Airways is facing new long-haul competition on two fronts after Norwegian last week said it was launching non-stop flights between Gatwick and Rio de Janeiro next year and enhancing its services to key points in the US.

With plans for four services a week to Rio from 31 March, Norwegian is breaking the BA monopoly on non-stop flights between the UK and Brazil and says its convenient schedules will allow more connection options for passengers.

Norwegian has existing service to South America with direct flights to Buenos Aires. This is increasing from four a week to daily from today, 3 December, which the airline says is in response to demand.

In October, the airline launched domestic flights in Argentina with two routes from Buenos Aires to Mendoza and Cordoba, with new services planned to Salta, Iguazú, Bariloche and Neuquén.

On the US front, Norwegian, also from 31 March, is increasing frequencies and switching flights to main hubs Miami and San Francisco from nearby but lesser airports at Fort Lauderdale and Oakland respectively.

Services from Gatwick to Miami will be daily, against the current four times weekly schedule for Fort Lauderdale, while the switch to San Francisco from Oakland will see an increase in frequency to five flights a week.

www.norwegian.com

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Fonz Jansen, Ireland

Please note that LA also flies between LHR and GRU. It's not that because it's not a UK airline that it doesn't count.