Budget carrier Norwegian Air plans to start flights between London and Rio de Janeiro in March to break what it said was a monopoly enjoyed by British Airways between the two cities.
This Wednesday, the first ever budget flight from London to South America departs from Gatwick airport. Fares on the 14-hour Norwegian Air Shuttle flight to Buenos Aires start from £259 one-way. The seats are tightly packed and food and luggage cost extra, but the no-frills model of flying, so well established on short-haul routes, is becoming increasingly common on intercontinental flights.
Norwegian Air Shuttle, one of the largest low cost airlines in Europe, has made the decision to start start operating in Argentina in November next year. We have taken that decision and for that we have already taken some concrete steps to be able to fly domestic and regional routes in Argentina, said Norwegian spokesman Alfons Claver.
Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA ordered 222 Boeing Co. and Airbus SAS airliners valued at 127 billion Kroner (21.5 billion dollars) as Europe's fourth-biggest discount carrier steps up its competition with state-backed SAS AB.