$240 flights to London rolling out this summer on Norwegian Air
Although winter has just started to set in across the US, it’s never too early to start planning your summer getaways to Europe. Of course finding a decent fare in the peak months of July and August can be a huge challenge. The days of scoring a $99 fare across the pond are mostly a thing of the past, however, Norwegian Air recently announced a new partnership with Gatwick Airport in London that could be a real game changer for the industry.
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Norwegian is planning three new routes between Gatwick and New York, Los Angeles and Fort Lauderdale powered by the much-hyped Boeing 787 Dreamliner, known for its fuel efficiency that can let carriers lower ticket costs. Introductory prices will start at £149 ($240) each way for three weekly flights between London and New York, £199 ($325) for two flights a week from LA and £179 ($290) for two flights a week from Fort Lauderdale. For a flight to Europe from the states in July, these are fantastic prices that Cheapos are sure to quickly scoop up.
There are a few catches, including a £30 ($50) service charge if you want “luxuries” such as a reserved seat, meal service and luggage storage, but all tickets do come with free in-flight entertainment. Who needs food or a carry-on when you have unlimited TV access, right?
But even with this extra fee, a total price of $290 is still almost unheard of for traveling to London during the height of the vacation season from New York. If Norwegian can keep their prices low, and the Dreamliner can overcome its shaky start to become a reliable aircraft, affordable flights to London will no longer be a dream of the past.
For more information, visit Norwegian’s website. Also be sure to search for flight deals to London in our budget flights section.
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The fares are no longer bargain fares at all. The Fort Lauderdale route appears to be the weakest with lowest fares but still a great deal more than the fares available on the day they went on sale. For JFK and LAX the fares are no steal at all and Norwegian has had endless problems with their Dreamliners’ and with supposedly only one aircraft based at London Gatwick to carry out 7 round trips a week, this is definitely an airline to choose only if time is not of the essence. On their existing long haul routes out of Scandanavia, the customers seem far from happy, which is a pity because their short-haul routes around Europe on B737 are very successful and widely praised
Fort Lauderdale has always been a great deal.
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We always defer to EuroCheapo expertise, but we do wonder if Norwegian’s debut in the New York to London Gatwick market is quite such a game changer for the aviation industry as you suggest.
Norwegian’s summer 2014 programme on the route is very limited – just 46 flights over a three month period. Looking at the eastbound flights (ie. NYC to LON), there is just one flight when a fare of less than $300 is advertised. That is towards the very end of the season – if you want that cheapo fare you must fly on 14 October 2014. And no doubt that’ll be sold soon.
Fares with Norwegian on the route are generally very much higher. Looking at August 2014, for example, the one-way fares with Norwegian range from $430 to $550. Those looking for real bargains on the NYC-LON route in 2014 would do well to look to Air India or Kuwait Air.
Nicky Gardner and Susanne Kries
editors
hidden europe magazine
http://www.hiddeneurope.co.uk