Norwegian - 2016-07-21 09:47 BST Low-cost airline Norwegian has taken another significant step in its huge UK expansion by opening its new UK headquarters by London Gatwick Airport which is at the heart of the airline’s UK operation. Norwegian’s new office is the airline’s first permanent workspace outside of Norway and home to Norwegian staff based in the UK. Key staff in flight operations, training, technical, safety and compliance, communications, marketing and sales in the UK are now based at the headquarters. Europe’s best low-cost airline is continuing to provide affordable flights to the UK by launching seven new routes from Gatwick, Edinburgh and Manchester this year alone. The award winning airline has quickly grown to become third largest airline at Gatwick Airport and has flown around four million UK leisure and business passengers’ direct to more than 40 destinations in the past year. Asgeir Nyseth, CEO at Norwegian UK said: “This is an exciting new milestone in Norwegian’s pursuit of substantial growth across the UK. Our new UK headquarters symbolises our commitment to this hugely important strategic market, and it allows us to grow steadily in an engaging work environment. That said, we intend to continue capturing the hearts of UK consumers through unmatched service, brand new aircraft and direct routes to the most exciting destinations – all at affordable fares.” Norwegian was granted a UK Operating Licence and has applied for a Foreign Carrier permit with the U.S. Department of Transportation, which would allow the airline to combine services to the U.S. with long-haul flights to global destinations including Asia, Africa and South America. The world’s best low-cost long-haul airline pioneered the return of low-cost flights to the US in July 2014 and will launch its eighth US route from Gatwick with new direct flights to Las Vegas from 31 October. Norwegian recently celebrated the 2nd anniversary of these unique flights after carrying more than 650,000 UK passengers and putting on more than 800,000 seats on sale this year, which is playing a key role in Norwegian’s continued passenger growth. Norwegian has ambitious plans to locate more than 50 new Dreamliner aircraft at an expanded Gatwick, in addition to locating 100 short-haul aircraft if the airport is granted a second runway. Norwegian in the UK: Norwegian first launched UK flights in 2003 and now operates from London Gatwick, Edinburgh, Birmingham and Manchester Airports to more than 40 destinations worldwide Norwegian is the third largest airline at London Gatwick, with 3.9 million yearly passengers, and with more than 700 pilots, cabin crew and staff working from its Gatwick base In 2014, Norwegian introduced the UK’s first low-cost, long haul flights to the U.S. - the airlines now flies to 8 U.S destinations with fares from just £135 one way Norwegian is the only airline to offer free inflight WiFi on UK flights to more than 30 European destinations The airline has one of the youngest aircraft fleets in the world with an average age of four years, including next-generation Boeing 787 Dreamliners and Boeing 737-800s Norwegian has been voted ‘Europe’s best low-cost carrier’ by passengers for four consecutive years at SkyTrax World Airline Awards from 2013-2016, along with being awarded the ‘World's best low-cost long-haul airline’ in both 2015 and 2016
