Route news: Norse drops two US routes from Gatwick, SAS launches Bergen from Heathrow

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• BJ says:

  6 Jan6 January 03:35

  I read elsewhere they plan on freeing up aircraft to fly from elsewhere in Europe to LAS.

  • TeesTraveller says:

    6 Jan6 January 08:53

    They have received approval to launch Gatwick – Las Vegas.

    • Simon says:

      6 Jan6 January 09:12

      Might keep some of the tracksuit brigade off of BA. I noticed that Ava are forever moving the LGW-LAS flight earlier, presumably to try to stop the stag do groups boarding too pissed from the ‘Spoons in the terminal…

      • Gordon says:

        6 Jan6 January 09:32

        With the BA double tier points promotion extended for another year. Galleries is the new spoons!

      • executiveclubber says:

        6 Jan6 January 11:24

        You seem really pleasant Simon!

      • S says:

        6 Jan6 January 12:18

        Who’s upset you now Simon?

• Rizz says:

  6 Jan6 January 05:02

  Typo – “Scandinavia airline” should be “Scandinavian airline”.

• PGR says:

  6 Jan6 January 07:46

  Typo – “London Gatwick to Boston and London Gatwick to Washington Dulles have been removed from sale for the summer reason.” (season)

• TimM says:

  6 Jan6 January 07:51

  Flying out of Athens appears a good move. Greece may be a relatively small country but has a relatively huge ex-pat population. Plus the state-owned flag carrier, Olympic, collapsed with the Greek financial crisis (though the name was bought by Aegean for mostly domestic routes). As someone who often slept in Alimos Marina, very nearby the old Athens airport, the noise of all the early morning Olympic 747s departing for far-flung destinations was an unforgettable. Olympic left a huge gap. Now Greece is getting back on its feet, it feels only right for the likes of Norse to step in.

  • Londonsteve says:

    6 Jan6 January 15:15

    Yes it makes a lot of sense. Trying to feed at the same trough that’s overwhelmed by the likes of BA and US carriers, made even harder by the TATL JV just strikes me as pointless. I highly value ‘VFM’ but I’m not interested in saving a couple of hundred quid on a TATL flight, doing away with catering, luggage, FF privileges and flight frequency in the event of an ops issue in the process.

    BUD has no services to the US yet has a large diaspora in the States and the city has a magnetic appeal for most tourists. Most options route through LHR on a handful of daily 319 services, connections can be time consuming and unreliable at LHR; the bulk of travellers would prefer to fly direct even if it means trading down from a global carrier to a lesser-known airline. Plenty of other potential routes out of BUD for a market that’s price sensitive yet hungry for long haul connections. Norse needs to exploit these largely untapped markets.

• Gordon says:

  6 Jan6 January 08:58

  “Norse Atlantic pulls two US routes”
  That’s not the only thing being pulled! Excuse the pun!

  Alaska Airlines grounds 737 Max 9 planes after window blows out mid-air https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-67899564

  • Rhys says:

    6 Jan6 January 09:46

    ‘Tis but a flesh wound 😉

    • Gordon says:

      6 Jan6 January 10:34

      I’m sure the passengers on board will be queuing to get on another MAX knowing that!!!!

      • ADS says:

        6 Jan6 January 12:09

        “A replacement Boeing 737-900 registration N263AK reached Ontario as flight AS-9233 with a delay of about 6.5 hours.”

        • Gordon says:

          6 Jan6 January 18:11

          Well no one will be flying in a 737 MAX 9 anytime soon as all 171 airplanes have now been grounded!

  • SteveCroydon says:

    6 Jan6 January 09:55

    Two crashes, panels blowing out and lose bolts in the rudder mechanism. That’s why I avoid airlines/routes with B737MAX aircraft. Perhaps they should really be called B737MINimum safety standards!!!

    • LittleNick says:

      6 Jan6 January 15:38

      Agreed, I certainly won’t be stepping on one of these aircraft, and if I found myself with a plane swap to such a max death aircraft I wouldn’t board.

    • TimM says:

      6 Jan6 January 20:42

      It looks like the 737 Max will be going the same way as the DC-10, death by reputation. The latest incident is not a cargo door of a mid-aged plane blowing out at high altitude in turbulence but a (non-door) section of the fuselage of a two-month old plane blowing out at 13,000 ft in perfect weather! Time to sell Boeing and Ryan Air shares.

      • Roy says:

        7 Jan7 January 03:37

        Well, it’s not _exactly_ a non-door section. It’s a section where a door is present in some configurations – although no door was present in the aircraft in question.

        • jjoohhnn says:

          8 Jan8 January 10:10

          The door is present. It’s deactivated and covered up on the inside.

• Yvo says:

  6 Jan6 January 08:59

  Bergen is a great short break with kids, funicular, cable car, zip wire between mountains, boat trip, we love it. The Scandic hotels are brilliant and do great breakfasts, they are my go to in that part of the world.

  • JJ says:

    6 Jan6 January 10:52

    Totally agree about Bergen, I am fortunate to work near there 4 times a year and stay in the city.
    Scandic is the best for that neck of the woods, ive stayed in six of their eight hotels in the city. Neptune is my preferred, being a top level member I always get a large room, even with redemptions.
    The 15 Euro a night food beverage voucher is one of the best loyalty treats in the hotel industry. Then there’s the 500 Fin Air miles per night on top of the Scandic points, which is a nice double dip. Hope this continues when Fin Air join Avios.
    Should been more on here about Scandic the loyalty scheme,

  • Chrisasaurus says:

    6 Jan6 January 11:49

    What month/season is best to visit? It’s on the list but don’t know how to maximise a long weekend/ half term break

    • JJ says:

      8 Jan8 January 06:45

      June July or August, when the open air food market is open.
      The Edvard Greig mini concerts are fun. Theres also a mountain train to the top of the second peak, and of course a Fjord trip.
      The light railway makes life easy to get downtown from the airport.
      Never stayed at the Moxy as its a way from the centre.

• Moley says:

  6 Jan6 January 09:11

  P&O Cruises are looking for a new operator to provide charter services on Friday and Saturdays throughout the winter season to the Caribbean, alongside Tui, their other long term charter partner.

  Norse are considered in prime position to pick this up. Their fleet is exactly what is needed.

  This could provide some stability and allow them to focus on the other five days a week.

  • SamG says:

    6 Jan6 January 14:20

    Yes I posted that on another Norse subject – seems a no brainer – the large Premium cabin will go down well with their passengers and they’ve got seat back TV which has been the other big complaint with Maleth Aero

• Mark says:

  6 Jan6 January 09:27

  No matter how low cost, who would want to be arriving into New York at 11.30pm local time?

  • TGLoyalty says:

    6 Jan6 January 09:58

    What’s the problem. Get to hotel and sleep … fresh in the morning to explore.

    • Rob says:

      6 Jan6 January 10:07

      For a start you’re committed to a $75 cab given that the subway is not enticing at that hour. Put the money towards a flight landing at 1pm instead.

      You’d also be going to bed at the equivalent of 6am UK time so you are likely to be sleeping for 10 hours, wiping out half of Day 2.

      It’s the definition of false economy – unless you go to work on the day you fly, so it’s not cutting into your holiday entitlement.

      I accept that, even landing at 1pm, immigration etc still means you feel Day 1 is wasted but at least you’re fit as a fiddle at 8am the next day.

      • TGLoyalty says:

        6 Jan6 January 10:50

        Let’s be honest the state of the subway I’ll be getting a cab regardless.

        Also you never go to sleep based upon U.K. time you do it based upon where you are going and you’ll get some kip on the plane

        It’s such an odd complaint getting there at your destinations night time … I’ve had no issues doing that going east or west. Also 8am wake up on holiday wtf I’ll be up at 10am earliest on first day of my holiday thanks and is absolutely fine by me I’m on holiday not my day job.

      • BA Flyer IHG Stayer says:

        6 Jan6 January 11:15

        That $75 is more like $85 once the tolls are added and close rto $100 when tip is added.

        There was a huge increase in taxi fares in January this year when fares went up by almost a quarter (after 10 years of no increases)

  • The Other Mark says:

    6 Jan6 January 10:06

    Someone who lives in New York and wants a full final day in London? Or someone who wants to travel after leaving work for the day in the UK to get a full day in New York the next day?

    I can see the attraction in the return flight timing for some as well – more likely to sleep on a 1:30am departure (albeit no flat beds!)

    • jjoohhnn says:

      8 Jan8 January 10:13

      Yeah exactly. How many flights arrive back late at UK airports so you can enjoy a full day on your last day of holiday. Loads, so it will be great if you are returning back to NYC.

  • SamG says:

    6 Jan6 January 14:22

    I actually think it isn’t a bad option flight time wise – full days work in London then fly out to NYC, sleep in a bit which helps with jet lag and off you go. Have dinner in Manhattan then head out to JFK, avoiding all the traffic, straight to sleep as you’ll be tired and land back in the UK with not too long to go until bed time

    • Londonsteve says:

      6 Jan6 January 15:23

      Exactly. The times work well for a leisure traveller, which is exactly their target market. Late departure from London means not having to take another day off work whereas the late return means you get to enjoy the benefit of a full day in NY on your final day which, with NY accommodation prices, is a rather important aspect.

      Does anyone in OW offer similar flight times on the LON-NY route?

      • jjoohhnn says:

        8 Jan8 January 10:16

        BA have flights depart late in the evening going back to LON, maybe not at 0130 though but certainly between 2100 and 2330!

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