Norwegian Air Shuttle

[User001]

I do think at the very least Birmingham should be able to support a weekly Las Vegas in the peak summer months. The number of Brits that head there is quite large, and having been several times myself, I do love it there and while it's not everyone's cup of tea, I would urge anyone to go.

I myself go as I love Red Rock Canyon, and then the drive to Los Angeles. Las Vegas certainly isn't just about Casinos.

Other than that, actual west coast USA has always been a tough nut to crack.

The connection opportunities are much less than the east coast, but, can be a good way to do an 'alternative' kangaroo route. It's only this year that it's the first time in 10 years you can reach any West coast airport outside of London.

Just like China though, Birminghams time will come.

I've personally noticed a rise in popularity for the west coast, with lots of my friends, extended friends and work colleagues now heading out for holidays. Like Las Vegas, there is something to suit all tastes out there, and given San Fransisco is still an important tech hub, it's not all about the leisure passengers.

It may be a few years off, but it will come, but first, I do feel BHX has to bolster its legacy hub connections to prove the market exists, so, getting Delta to Atlanta and American or United to Chicago is vital to prove the link is worthwhile.

 

[Ray Finkle]

I agree, it's taken a long time for another east coast destination to become available, the west coast may be a while off yet.

One or two big hubs such as ATL, PHL or ORD (even starting on a seasonal basis) and wide bodies used to EWR and JFK will most likely be next. Delta have been obtaining quotes from handling agents recently, that doesn't mean that it will happen but it shows there is at least some general interest.

Las Vegas and more to Orlando are the big leisure holes to fill. Norwegian could potentially offer both but I don't want to pin my hopes on them only to find out that 'long haul to the regions' means just a weekly Boston 😆

 

[nwoody2001]

Thought I’d have a look at the NAX website and see how the current routes are operating. Things to note. It’s easy to see why they wanted to increase Malaga, the lowest price ticket available for nearly every Saturday from not until Aug is priced at an amazing £229.90 showing demand is high. Interesting, at the moment prices are pretty low for the canary islands, however, by summer, popularity has rocketed! The current cheapest price to Las Palma in July is £129.90, with the average price of a ticket in July for Tenerife and Las Palma is £149 and £140 respective, pretty impressive. If NAX want to increase capacity somewhere, I would expect TFS and LPA to benefit!


The downside is Madrid and Barcelona, which is hardly surprising given the amount of competition. In both cases average prices increase in summer but still some bargain to be had! May review again in a few months!


Below is the current snapshot for each route showing (as of today) the lowest price available / lighest price available / average price across all flights that month!


BHX Outbound May Fares

BHX-Barcelona (3x weekly) = Cheapest £29.90 / Most Expensive £189.90 / Average £62

BHX-Madrid (3x weekly) = Cheapest £29.90 / Most Expensive £FULL / Average £53

BHX-Malaga (3x weekly) = Cheapest £39.90 / Most Expensive £229.90 / Average £133

BHX-Tenerife (2x weekly) = Cheapest £39.90 / Most Expensive £189.90 / Average £66

BHX-Las Palma (1x weekly) = Cheapest £39.90 / Most Expensive £49.90 / Average £45


BHX Outbound July Fares

BHX-Barcelona (3x weekly) = Cheapest £29.90 / Most Expensive £189.90 / Average £82

BHX-Madrid (3x weekly) = Cheapest £39.90 / Most Expensive £89.90 / Average £61

BHX-Malaga (4x weekly) = Cheapest £39.90 / Most Expensive £229.90 / Average £117

BHX-Tenerife (2x weekly) = Cheapest £84.90 / Most Expensive £309.90 / Average £149

BHX-Las Palma (1x weekly) = Cheapest £129.90 / Most Expensive £169.90 / Average £140

 

[jfy1999]

Anyone know how the competition are faring on Madrid? I notice some of Vueling's connections to MAD via BCN are cheaper than some of the direct flights 🙂

 

[Ray Finkle]

Madrid saw 3957 pax in March.

There were three Iberia flights but I can't remember on which day Norwegian went back to 3x weekly?

I think that there were 10 Norwegian flights which would give a total load factor of 82.4%. If there was 11 Norwegian then that drops slightly to around 77%.

 

[nwoody2001]

Still pretty healthy in off-season!!

 

[Brum X]

Winter 16/17 now starting to be loaded 🙂Tenerife and Malaga bookable both Monday and Friday.

Nothing as of yet for LPA/BCN/MAD

 

[Ray Finkle]

This summer Malaga is operating 4x weekly on Mon, Wed, Fri and Sat.

Thomson currently have 2 of their S17 Malaga flights as TBA (Sun and Thur) with a suggestion that Norwegian will be doing them.

If this is the case then hopefully we'll see AGP up to at least 6x weekly next year, if they don't just swap the days that is.

 

[nwoody2001]

...lets wait and see

 

[nwoody2001]

an update for you..


BHX Outbound May Fares

BHX-Barcelona (3x weekly) = Cheapest £29.90 / Most Expensive £229.90 / Average £103

BHX-Madrid (3x weekly) = Cheapest £29.90 / Most Expensive £229.90 / Average £96

BHX-Malaga (3x weekly) = Cheapest £39.90 / Most Expensive £FULL / Average £127

BHX-Tenerife (2x weekly) = Cheapest £39.90 / Most Expensive £149.90 / Average £85

BHX-Las Palma (1x weekly) = Cheapest £39.90 / Most Expensive £84.90 / Average £58


BHX Outbound July Fares

BHX-Barcelona (3x weekly) = Cheapest £29.90 / Most Expensive £189.90 / Average £82

BHX-Madrid (3x weekly) = Cheapest £39.90 / Most Expensive £89.90 / Average £59

BHX-Malaga (4x weekly) = Cheapest £39.90 / Most Expensive £289.90 / Average £123

BHX-Tenerife (2x weekly) = Cheapest £69.90 / Most Expensive £309.90 / Average £144

BHX-Las Palma (1x weekly) = Cheapest £114.90 / Most Expensive £169.90 / Average £133

 

[Ray Finkle]

It was this time last year that we had the rest of winter programme released (this Thursday in fact) so hopefully we'll find out soon what is to happen.

In other news we are to see some leased aircraft operating some Norwegian routes over the summer.

From Airline Routes:

Norwegian Air International (NAI) between the month of June and September 2016 is leasing Airbus A320 and Boeing 737-800 aircraft from other carriers to support its operation, including Air Explore, DOT, NEOS and Titan Airways. These aircraft will be mainly operating from its base in Alicante, Barcelona, Madrid and Malaga.

NAI service operated by Air Explore (ED) 737-800:
Madrid – Copenhagen 01SEP16 – 29SEP16 2 weekly (Day 24)
Madrid – Las Palmas/Gran Canaria 01SEP16 – 30SEP16 6 weekly (Day x6)
Madrid – Tenerife North 02SEP16 – 30SEP16 5 weekly (Day x24)
Malaga – Bergen 16JUN16 – 25AUG16 1 weekly (Day 4)
Malaga – Birmingham 15JUN16 – 31AUG16 1 weekly (Day 3)
Malaga – Copenhagen 10JUN16 – 29AUG16 3 weekly (Day 156)
Malaga – Edinburgh 14JUN16 – 30AUG16 1 weekly Day 2
Malaga – Hamburg 11JUN16 – 27AUG16 1 weekly (Day 6)
Malaga – Manchester 12JUN16 – 28AUG16 2 weekly (Day 47)
Malaga – Oslo 14JUN16 – 41AUG16 2 weekly (Day 23)
Malaga – Stockholm Arlanda 12JUN16 – 28AUG16 1 weekly (Day 7)

NAI service operated by DOT (R6) A320:
Barcelona – Birmingham 02JUN16 – 30AUG16 2 weekly (Day 24)
Barcelona – Gothenburg 05JUN16 – 28AUG16 1 weekly (Day 7)
Barcelona – Las Palmas 01JUN16 – 31AUG16 5 weekly (Day 67)
Barcelona – Manchester 04JUN16 – 27AUG16 1 weekly (Day 6)
Barcelona – Tenerife North 01JUN16 – 31AUG16 4 weekly (Day x247)

NAI service operated by NEOS (NO) 737-800, operating minimum 1, maximum 3 round-trip flights between 01JUN16 and 09JUN16:
Malaga – Bergen
Malaga – Birmingham
Malaga – Copenhagen
Malaga – Edinburgh
Malaga – Hamburg
Malaga – Manchester
Malaga – Oslo
Malaga – Stockholm Arlanda

 

[Jon Dempsey]

I was chatting today to a lady who's son was aircrew for Norwegian long haul from Gatwick.

She said that he was looking to transfer to Birmingham "when" LH started up. She didn't know of any other details.

 

[jfy1999]

Norwegian don't yet have the 737 MAX, so if LGW based long haul pilots are looking to transfer to BHX, that would suggest BHX is going to have 787 flights and not just the MAX as might have been previously suggested on this forum?

 

[Ray Finkle]

Tenerife has had an extra Wednesday flight added from Nov 2nd making it 3x weekly.

 

[Brum X]

Tenerife has had an extra Wednesday flight added from Nov 2nd making it 3x weekly.

Still a little strange that Tenerife has had an increase already and Las Palmas hasnt even been released. Im sure both Tenerife and Gran Canaria will be popular places to visit this winter with no Egypt or Tunisia in W16/17 ???

Good news though that an extra flight has been added to TFS

 

[BHXsupporter]

Norwegian continues expanding expansion plans so maybe one of the extra 787-9s might be for BHX? (Norwegian is to lease another two Boeing 787-9s from Aercap). By 2020 they will have 40 787s!

media.norwegian.com/en/#/pressreleases/norwegian-adds-two-more-dreamliners-to-its-fleet-1350412

 

[justplanecrazy]

Could be wrong but if they are used on uk bases then I can see them going to gatwick which will free up the 788s they have which could possibly be used on other uk bases or they might be used on some of their European bases.

 

[BHXsupporter]

Sorry, yes justplanecrazy, I should have stated that a 787-8 would be more appropriate than a -9 (well at least to start with!)

 

[richard winterbourn]

Has BHX missed the boat - temporarily? Being reported on another forum that Norwegian will begin transatlantic from Edinburgh to Boston, New York and San Francisco from Spring 2017. Will we be far behind????

 

[User001]

There will be further press releases, as all 3 (BHX/MAN/EDI) will launch next spring. It's just happening 1 airport at a time.

Next few weeks, BHX and MAN will get their publicity.