Norse Atlantic cuts its network following IndiGo leasing deal

With both Airbus and Boeing struggling to meet their commitments for new aircraft deliveries, a new trend is springing up.

A number of ‘challenger’ airlines are moving away from operating their own flights to leasing out their aircraft to others.

It allows airlines to launch new routes now instead of waiting a few years for the delayed aircraft on order.

Norse Atlantic is at the forefront of this in Europe, with Iceland’s Play doing the same for short haul. Indian carrier IndiGo has been keen to launch flights to Europe, and is already using one Norse Atlantic aircraft to fly to Manchester and Amsterdam.

Next year another five Norse Atlantic aircraft will join them. Half of the 12-strong Norse Atlantic fleet, which is exclusively comprised of Boeing 787 aircraft, will be with IndiGo, along with their flight crew.

This means that next summer Norse Atlantic will only operate:

• Athens to New York JFK
• London Gatwick to Los Angeles, New York JFK, Orlando
• Rome to Los Angeles, New York JFK

It is cutting:

• Athens to Los Angeles
• Berlin to New York JFK
• London Gatwick to Miami
• Oslo to New York JFK
• Paris CdG to Los Angeles, New York JFK

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