Norse Atlantic receives its first aircraft

The Boeing 787-9 was delivered to Oslo airport where the carrier, which plans flights from the UK to the US, is based. Norse has secured 15 leased 787s, six of which are ex-Norwegian Air aircraft.

“The delivery of our first Dreamliner marks an important milestone for us at Team Norse as it brings us one step closer to the launch of attractive and affordable transatlantic flights,” said Bjorn Tore Larsen, Norse’s chief executive and founder. 

Deliveries will continue until April and all aircraft will be initially parked at Oslo, where Norse’s first services will connect with the US. 

Norse has secured slots at Stansted, but ambitions to fly from Gatwick are in jeopardy, as it has failed to secure slots there. In addition, British Airways is set to resume its New York service from Gatwick in May and JetBlue is already operating there. 

Norse said it had secured its fleet on attractive rates and payment terms, allowing a flexible implementation during start-up, with Norse only paying on a “power by the hour” basis at the outset. 

The carrier has 25 new job openings in Norway and London and expects to employ 1,600 people when all 15 Boeing 787 Dreamliners are flying.