NORWAY: Norwegian Air Expanding So Fast

Fast-growing, low-cost European carrier Norwegian just announced four more new U.S. routes coming in 2018, leading some to wonder if the ambitious airline is growing too fast for its own good.

The company’s latest plans include new service from Los Angeles to Milan Malpensa; and from LAX to Madrid beginning July 15.

It will operate four flights a week on both routes. From New York JFK, Norwegian will operate new service to Amsterdam starting May 7, with four weekly flights; and to Madrid July 18, with three flights a week. All the new routes will be served with 787-9s.

No-frills fare, high fee fares from LAX will start at $229 one-way, while New York fares will begin at $199 to Amsterdam and $229 to Madrid.

Premium cabin fares start at $729 and $739 from LAX to Madrid and Milan respectively, and at $619/$649 to Amsterdam and Madrid from JFK.

These four routes are just a part of new Norwegian service already announced for 2018.

Other new routes and starting dates include Oakland to Rome; Newark to Paris; Chicago to London; Austin to London; Denver to Paris; Oakland to Paris, and Boston to Paris;

All that is on top of 25 U.S. routes that the carrier inaugurated in 2017. And look for more new service in the months ahead: Norwegian said it has just acquired another 28 weekly takeoff and landing slots at London Gatwick, available starting next summer.

Planning work is now underway to allocate the newly acquired slots, and will be announced at a later stage, the company said.

This explosive growth is leading some investors in the company to worry that the airline might be overextending itself, considering its financial performance.

Norwegian’s fleet added 32 aircraft in 2017, for a total of 145; and will keep growing to 193 planes by the end of 2019.

The report said Norwegian had a second-quarter operating loss of $104 million, while its unit costs rose by 6 percent in the third quarter.

The company’s share price has plunged 40 percent this year, the report said, while its European competitors’ stock has been rising sharply.

Norwegian has new aircraft coming online so fast that it can’t absorb them all, so it has started leasing some to other companies and selling older ones.

It also quoted a senior banker in Norway as saying that Norwegian is in trouble. They are over-extended and it’s clear that they have to do something.

Have you flown Norwegian or benefitted from its impact on transatlantic fares this year? Say something here


Tourism Observer

ITALY: Air Italy To Commence Flights To US June 1 to JFK And Miami June 8

Italy’s newest airline is ready to launch long-haul flights under its new callsign, new colors, and recently acquired Airbus A330-200 to New York (JFK) and Miami (MIA).

Air Italy flights to the US will begin on June 1 to JFK and June 8 to MIA.

As the Italian carrier initiates its long-haul adventure under Qatar Airways’ watch, Airways will test its new premium service on both inaugural flights from New York and to Miami.

The Doha-based carrier purchased 49% of Meridiana’s shares back in February this year, then transforming the airline into Air Italy.

Qatar Airways not only invested in the small Italian airline; it also boosted its operations by leasing them five Airbus A330s, which will initiate Air Italy’s international expansion while 30 factory-fresh Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners are assembled and delivered from Boeing’s plant in Everett.

The first ex-Qatar Airways Airbus A330-200 was delivered to Air Italy on May 17, right after the plane was towed out of the painting hangar in Dublin, Ireland, sporting a fresh livery.

The remaining four A330s will arrive in the upcoming months.

On top of these wide-body planes, 20 Boeing 737 MAX 8s will join the Italian airline to boost its domestic and regional networks through 2022, replacing the aging 737NGs in the airline’s fleet.

The first 737 MAX was officially delivered at Boeing’s Delivery Center in Paine Field Airport (PAE) on May 11, arriving in Italy the following morning.

Since then, Air Italy has deployed the aircraft on several domestic runs numerous times per day, including trips from MXP to Naples (NAP), Palermo (PMO), and one hop to Hamburg (HAM).

According to an Air Italy spokesperson, the plane might be deployed on future flights to the airline’s headquarters in Olbia, Sardinia. Airways will also report live from that flight.

The first A330 will then be deployed on the airline’s inaugural trip to JFK on June 1, under flight IG901, departing Milan-Malpensa (MXP) at 13:10, arriving in JFK at 16:00.

The return flight from JFK will depart at 20:30 under the callsign IG902, arriving the following morning at 10:35.

Through the airline’s website, Air Italy offers its passengers to accrue British Airways/Iberia Avios on all their flights.

Likewise, Air Italy will deploy its recently-painted A330 on the inaugural MXP-MIA route on June 8.

Flight IG903 will depart MXP at 13:00, arriving in MIA at 17:45. The return flight leaves MIA at 19:45, landing in Milan the following morning at 11:10.

Airways will also cover the inaugural MXP-MIA flight, with reporters both in the air and on the ground.

Flights to Miami are offered four times per week, whereas flights to New York are set to depart on a daily basis.

Stay tuned for more news and follow all Airways social media feeds for live coverage of these events.


Tourism Observer

UAE: Emirates Launched Flights Joining Rome Fiumicino, Milan Malpensa And Venice Marco Polo,

Mayor of Bologna, Virginio Merola; Thierry Antinori, Emirates’ EVP and CCO Commercial Operations Worldwide; and Enrico Postacchini, Chairman of Bologna Airport, were among the VIPs at the launch of Emirates’ fourth Italian route to Bologna on 3 November. Emirates began serving Italy in 1992 when it launched thrice-weekly services to Rome Fiumicino. Now it operates 56 weekly flights to the country.

Emirates launched its fourth Italian gateway on 3 November, joining Rome Fiumicino, Milan Malpensa and Venice Marco Polo, following the arrival of the airline’s daily 777-300 service in Bologna (BLQ) from its Dubai (DXB) hub.

Emirates began serving Italy in 1992 when it launched thrice-weekly services to Fiumicino and now it operates 56 weekly flights to the country.

Highlighting the airline’s connectivity with the East, passengers on the inaugural flight travelled through to Bologna from a diverse mix of destinations including; Dubai, Sydney, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai and Taipei.

“Our new daily flight to Bologna combines not only our world-class service but also convenient access to this important Italian gateway from across our global network.

As the only wide-bodied aircraft to operate from Bologna we bring to the region an unrivalled customer experience across all three cabin classes,” said Thierry Antinori, Emirates’ EVP and CCO Commercial Operations Worldwide.

Enrico Postacchini, Chairman of Bologna Airport said: “The new Emirates’ link to Dubai is an important opportunity for our region, a fundamental outlet to the Far East for companies with a strong international vocation and a new gateway for incoming tourism.

We are pleased to welcome Emirates to the Airport of Bologna, an airline of great importance that will allow us to boost Bologna’s international appeal.

I would like to extend our gratitude to our partners, and in particular Bologna’s Chamber of Commerce, which has always believed and invested in the development of the airport.” No other airline operates this city pair.

GERMANY: Jetairfly Expands Seasonally With New Routes

Berlin Tegel Airport welcomed with a ribbon cutting ceremony on the apron the arrival of Jetairfly’s thrice-weekly departures from Antwerp.

Jetairfly, the Belgian subsidiary of TUI Airlines, expanded its seasonal offering with the addition of eight new routes during the course of last two weeks. Six of these new airport pairs were introduced from Antwerp (ANR), to Alicante (ALC), Barcelona (BCN), Berlin Tegel (TXL), Malaga (AGP), Milan Malpensa (MXP) and Palma de Mallorca (PMI). Interestingly, Jetairfly will face no direct competition on any of the new additions. See how Berlin Tegel Airport’s FTWA compares to others from around the world.