On Tuesday, 13 February, Bjorn Kjos Bjorn Kjos, Norwegian CEO, one of the founding partners of Norwegian in 2002, outlined what the airline terms “continued global expansion.”

Kjos says the UK will be at the heart of the airline’s continued global expansion and it remains fully committed to the market.

“We are launching long-haul routes exclusively from London Gatwick Airport, introducing our newest Dreamliners to Gatwick and increasing frequency on popular routes which reflects the growing importance of the UK to the future of our business.”

He says, “UK passengers will be the first to benefit from our newest routes and upgraded long-haul passenger experience,” the airline launching its exclusively newest long-haul routes at London Gatwick before anywhere else on its network.

“Long-haul Wi-Fi will be rolled out from the end of this year on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Boeing 737 MAX aircraft with plans to offer a free Wi-Fi option and a paid high-speed option, fast enough to stream movies and TV shows.”

Kjos added that the airline is focusing on business passengers, investing in enhancements to its long-haul services, as well as increasing the frequency on key routes from Gatwick, providing business customers with more flexibility.

The airline is also exploring potential new routes from London to South America and Asia. The airline’s strategic plan also includes the rollout of 8 brand-new Airbus A321neo LR in Norwegian’s fleet in 2019, which will serve the UK from 2020. These aircraft will also serve destinations such as Detroit, Philadelphia and Minneapolis. Norwegian will also consider routes to the Middle East using the Airbus A321neo LR.

Kos believes that the UK offers “Norwegian a springboard to further expansion as we aim to become the long-haul airline of choice for passengers seeking a high-quality service at great value.”