Norse Atlantic soars with new Thailand routes, slashes US services
In May, airline’s load factor soared to 96%, up from 81%
Norse Atlantic Airways is ramping up its winter schedule, adding four exciting new routes connecting Europe with Thailand as part of its ongoing expansion into Southeast Asia.
Set to launch in October and December, these new flights are designed to tap into the surging demand for travel to Thailand, one of the top destinations for European leisure travellers.
The carrier will operate direct routes from key European cities to popular Thai destinations:
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Oslo (OSL) to Phuket (HKT) – launching December 8
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Stockholm (ARN) to Phuket (HKT) – launching December 4
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Stockholm (ARN) to Bangkok (BKK) – launching October 22
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London Gatwick (LGW) to Bangkok (BKK) – launching October 26
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These additions are expected to cater to both the beach-seeking crowd in Phuket and the culture-focused tourists heading to Bangkok.
Norse’s point-to-point model, paired with its lower-cost structure, positions it as an affordable option for long-haul travellers looking for great value during the peak winter season.
However, the airline is also making some tough cuts to its transatlantic operations. Norse is pulling back from the US market, discontinuing several key routes:
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London Gatwick (LGW) to Las Vegas (LAS)
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Oslo (OSL) to Miami (MIA)
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Berlin (BER) to Miami (MIA)
This move comes as the airline realigns its network, acknowledging the pressures of competition and fluctuating seasonal demand that have impacted profitability on these routes.
Despite the US reductions, Norse Atlantic Airways is flying high with impressive growth. In May, the airline achieved its highest-ever load factor of 96%, a significant jump from 81% in the same month last year.
The carrier also saw a remarkable 41% year-over-year increase in passengers, transporting 182,854 people, compared to 129,722 in the same month last year. These figures reflect the success of its low-cost, long-haul model, which has gained traction as more travellers opt for affordable flights.
But not everything is perfect—on-time performance dipped slightly, with only 81% of flights departing within 15 minutes of their scheduled time, down from 86% in May 2024. Norse attributed the decrease to ongoing air traffic control delays and congestion at busy European and North American hubs, reported Aviation A2Z.
Despite this, CEO Bjørn Tore Larsen remains optimistic about the airline’s growth, saying, “We maintain our good momentum into the upcoming busy summer months, where we will continue to deliver our affordable, value-for-money product to our customers worldwide.”
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