Norwegian launches its first low-cost flights between Europe and the USA

Michael O-Leary, the CEO of Ryanair must be boiling with fury.

He had hoped to be the first to launch low-cost flights above the Atlantic ocean but has been surpassed by the company Norwegian.

This low-cost company based in Norway has done its first long hauls between London and the United States last week.

It wants to directly link the Gatwick airport with that of Los Angeles, that of New York-JFK and Fort Lauderdale (Florida.) These flights will be operated on 787-8 Boeing Dreamliner designed to seat 32 passengers in Premium and 259 in Economy.

In order to operate, the company received its air transporter certification from Ireland last february.

This is a mandatory authorization to access trafic rights between the United States and Europe, of which Norway isn’t a part of.

This authorization also allows it to hire its crew personnel under an Irish contract, saving on social expenses.

According to the newspaper Les Echos, the base salary for Thai flight attendants, under a contract from Singapore, does not exceed $500 per month.

A situation that has been denounced by unions and even by the association of American Pilots, that condemn this as unfair competition.

Thanks to these agreements with the legislation, Norwegian can offer very interesting loss-leader prices: 179 pounds (€225) to New York and Florida and 199 pounds (€250) for Los Angeles.

Of course every extra option has to be purchased: from luggage to meals onboard.

But these incredibly cheap prices are not available anymore on the website.

The lowest price for a one-way flight to New York for next July is currently at €738 and €777 for Los Angeles.

The company doesn’t even show up in flight comparator websites for a trip on the month of July.

Despite that, Norwegian hopes to carry over 1 million passengers in 2015.

This is the third most important low-cost company in Europe. In 2013, it recorded an increasing turnover by 21% for 1,88 billion euros and more than doubled its operational results to 117,23 million euros.