Startup Scandinavian airline Norse Atlantic Airways has revealed more details on its much-anticipated launch plan, including its stylish Viking-inspired branding, first destinations and new website.
The Norway-based low-cost long-haul airline will seek to fill the shoes of Norwegian Air, which stopped its entire long-haul network as part of a drastic corporate restructuring earlier this year.
Inspired by the Oseberg ship
More than 1,000 years ago, Norse explorers set out from Scandinavia across the North Atlantic, arriving in Iceland, Greenland and eventually North America. Norse CEO Bjørn Tore Larsen said that the company’s aircraft will have a livery that reflects the innovative longships that crossed the Atlantic.
The visual identity takes particular inspiration from the Oseberg ship. One of the finest Viking Age artefacts ever discovered, the Oseberg ship is known for its elaborate decor and distinctive curved wood carving at the bow. That is the direct inspiration for the logo used on the tail fin of the new Norse aircraft.
Launch delayed to 2022
The airline had originally hoped to be flying by the end of 2021. However, the continuation of global travel restrictions—especially between the U.S. and Europe—means the airline will wait until 2022.
“Once global restrictions are lifted, we are ready to go, but there is no point in us flying around in empty planes,” explained Larsen. “Our estimate is that demand will resume early next year, but it depends on the development of the coronavirus. We anticipate that all 15 of our Dreamliner aircraft will be flying by the summer of 2022,” he added.
Tickets will go on sale approximately three months before the first flight, Larsen confirmed.
Six cities announced
Larsen said the airline aims to fly from European cities including Oslo, London and Paris to North American cities including New York, Fort Lauderdale and Los Angeles. However, he stopped short of announcing specific routes or frequencies of service. While confirming six specific cities Norse will fly to at launch, Larsen said there would be more to follow.
The airline’s fleet of 15 Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft will be configured in a two-class system. Premium passengers will have services included, while economy passengers can expect to pay extra.
Norwegian in a new skin?
Despite CEO Bjørn Tore Larsen previously insisting that the airline is “nothing to do with” Norwegian, it's hard to ignore the similarities. The proposed long-haul route network plugs in to much of the gap left by the closure of Norwegian's long-haul operation as part of a drastic corporate restructuring during the pandemic.
“Our business model is very different from any other model that has been tested. We are creating a low-cost long-haul operation. It’s a very lean operation and we know we can make good profits based on the cost base we have,” said Larsen.
The big difference is that Norse intends to be a long-haul only airline. Larsen confirmed Norse is in talks with feeder airlines on both sides of the Atlantic, but didn’t provide an answer when asked if one of these was Norwegian.
