Low-cost airline Norse Atlantic Airways continues to face challenges and has further reduced its route network. While increasingly focusing on charter flights and aircraft rental, the airline is nevertheless planning a new long-haul connection between Athens and Los Angeles for the summer.
Norse's full May-September schedule includes twelve US routes connecting six European airports (Athens, Berlin, London Gatwick, Oslo, Paris CDG, and Rome Fiumicino) with four US destinations (Los Angeles, Miami, New York JFK, and Orlando). In total, Norse plans 1.124 departures from Europe to the US between June and September, with up to eleven daily flights. Compared to the previous year, the number of flights decreased by four percent, reflecting the airline's difficulties, particularly in the weaker September (-9 percent). Norse is increasing its focus on the peak summer months, which should contribute to higher load factors and yields.
Compared to summer 2024, the airline has discontinued services from Gatwick to Las Vegas and Miami, and from Oslo to Los Angeles and Miami. The Gatwick-Miami route will be permanently discontinued in October. These reductions indicate a strategic realignment of the route network, possibly to focus on more profitable routes.
On June 3, Norse Atlantic will begin the longest scheduled route in its history: the Athens-Los Angeles service. The four-times-weekly flights will have a maximum block time of 13 hours and 30 minutes and will operate between June and September. Data shows that 118.000 passengers were carried on this route in both directions last year, with demand heavily concentrated in the summer months. The service targets the large Greek-American population in the greater Los Angeles area, as well as Greece's strong tourism industry. Los Angeles was the largest unserved long-haul destination from Athens.
Challenges for long-haul low-cost airlines
Long-haul low-cost airlines have traditionally struggled to operate profitably. Aviation history is littered with failed attempts in this segment. It is often assumed that flight times of seven to eight hours should represent the upper limit for a successful low-cost airline model. With a flight time of up to 13,5 hours, the new Athens-Los Angeles route is significantly longer, which could impact operating costs and passenger comfort. However, there are also examples of low-cost airlines with significantly longer routes.
Interestingly, according to booking data, the average fare, including fuel surcharges, on the new Athens-Los Angeles route is only 12 percent higher than on the shorter Athens-New York route. This suggests that Los Angeles may be a less profitable market, which would explain why no other airline has yet launched this service despite the existing demand. It remains to be seen whether the new long-haul service will prove economically viable for Norse Atlantic and whether it will be continued next year.