Norse Atlantic Airways Withdraws Boston and Washington Routes from Summer Schedule

Norse Atlantic Airways has announced the withdrawal of its London Gatwick (LGW) to Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) and Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) routes from its upcoming northern summer schedule. The decision follows an evaluation of current demand levels, which were lower than the airline had anticipated.

Originally, Norse Atlantic Airways had planned to commence daily flights to both Boston and Washington using Boeing 787-9 aircraft from March 31. However, these routes have now been removed from the airline’s network. In a statement, Norse explained that the decision was based on a reassessment of current demand, leading them to shift their focus to other transatlantic routes for the summer.

The airline had first launched seasonal flights to Washington in June 2023 and to Boston in September, with both services running until late October. Despite competing directly with JetBlue Airways on the LGW-BOS route and indirectly with multiple airlines on the London Heathrow (LHR)-BOS and LHR-IAD routes, Norse has opted to discontinue these services.

In light of this decision, Norse Atlantic Airways plans to increase the frequency of its flights to New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) from LGW. The route, which currently operates daily, is scheduled to increase to ten flights per week from May 1 and to double-daily services from May 27.

Furthermore, Norse Atlantic Airways is set to initiate a new transatlantic service from Athens, Greece, to JFK starting May 30, operating up to five times per week until October 26. CEO Bjørn Tore Larsen noted that this route aims to cater to the evolving travel needs of passengers and meet the demand for travel to Greece.

The airline also plans to launch a new route between Paris Charles de Gaulle and Los Angeles and extend its Oslo-Bangkok service into the summer season. However, Norse has clarified that, despite receiving slots, it has no immediate plans to introduce flights from LGW to Las Vegas.

These network adjustments follow Norse Atlantic Airways’ recent engagement of Seabury Securities as a strategic advisor to explore potential industrial opportunities and guide the airline’s future direction. This move is part of Norse’s efforts to strengthen its market position and adapt to the changing aviation landscape.

CEO Larsen expressed optimism about the airline’s profitability in 2024 and emphasized that any expansion would be carefully managed. Norse Atlantic Airways anticipates operating 12 aircraft during the summer of 2024, an increase from 10 in the previous year. This development reflects Norse’s strategic response to market conditions and its commitment to optimizing its route network for better efficiency and profitability.