Post by Humberside on Oct 25, 2012 16:59:54 GMT
Norwegian are opening a new base at Gatwick, and not just for Nordic routes
www.anna.aero/2012/10/25/easyjets-moscow-route-kills-heathrow-dominance-norwegian-establishes-london-lgw-base/?utm_source=anna.aero+newsletter&utm_campaign=0cfb1139dc-anna_nl_251012_resend&utm_medium=email
While I can't ever see Norwegian being successful on HUY-Scandinavia, I wonder if their LGW-Mediterranean is a success, whether they would consider HUY/regional UK-Mediterranean. They have bases in Alicante, Malaga and Gran Canaria which could fly such routes. Thinking 'out of the box' a bit, but maybe that is what regional airports like HUY need to do?
Norwegian, which already serves Gatwick from 10 airports in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland, will be basing three of its 737-800s at the airport, increasing to four based aircraft before the end of 2013. What makes this base different from its other non-Nordic bases in Malaga, Las Palmas and soon also Alicante is that the low-cost airline intends to not only benefit from lower labour costs while still serving only Nordic markets, but Norwegian has announced that it will serve ‘Mediterranean destinations’ non-stop from the London airport.
Indeed, there has been speculation ever since Norwegian put in orders for 100 737 MAX 8 and 100 A320neo about whether the airline’s de facto home market, the Nordic countries, could sustain such an expansion and representatives from Norwegian have repeatedly referred to the airline’s home market as ‘Northern Europe’ when talking to anna.aero. Still, the move into Gatwick is bold. easyJet is very strong at the airport and there are many other airlines wanting a piece of the Mediterranean market; British Airways, Monarch, Thomas Cook and Thomson to name a few. Aer Lingus famously tried and retracted. But Norwegian also just reported record profits and may be better able to compete with some smaller, potentially financially troubled players in the London market.
Indeed, there has been speculation ever since Norwegian put in orders for 100 737 MAX 8 and 100 A320neo about whether the airline’s de facto home market, the Nordic countries, could sustain such an expansion and representatives from Norwegian have repeatedly referred to the airline’s home market as ‘Northern Europe’ when talking to anna.aero. Still, the move into Gatwick is bold. easyJet is very strong at the airport and there are many other airlines wanting a piece of the Mediterranean market; British Airways, Monarch, Thomas Cook and Thomson to name a few. Aer Lingus famously tried and retracted. But Norwegian also just reported record profits and may be better able to compete with some smaller, potentially financially troubled players in the London market.
www.anna.aero/2012/10/25/easyjets-moscow-route-kills-heathrow-dominance-norwegian-establishes-london-lgw-base/?utm_source=anna.aero+newsletter&utm_campaign=0cfb1139dc-anna_nl_251012_resend&utm_medium=email
While I can't ever see Norwegian being successful on HUY-Scandinavia, I wonder if their LGW-Mediterranean is a success, whether they would consider HUY/regional UK-Mediterranean. They have bases in Alicante, Malaga and Gran Canaria which could fly such routes. Thinking 'out of the box' a bit, but maybe that is what regional airports like HUY need to do?