Norwegian-2
 

Is it just me who thinks it's ridiculous that Norwegian have started using a brand new type straight onto transatlantic routes despite the aircraft not being etops certified? New types always have teething issues. Surely the sensible option would be to have operated them shorthaul to iron out the wrinkles and allow the etops certification to get sorted before launching these routes?

That's to simply.... most companies don't do things the easy way

One of the Max's is parked up beside the cross runway at Edinburgh, passed it this morning on the train.

I believe the Max should have had 180 ETOPS on day one but engine issues late in the certification process appear to have delayed this. Presumably Boeing will have to compensate Norwegian.

Porrohman & goldeneye
 

I was told last year that the Max would not have ETOPS approval when it went into service. :uhoh:
The Max parked up is FYB which went Tech as l reported earlier in this thread.

Must be something substantial since it's still out of service.

Any news on loads re CAA stats.

CAA for EDI- PVD, SWF average around 75%, BDL around low 60's but expect they are either an overestimate (if the exact seat block taken into account) or underestimate with various cancellations.
Regardless BDL a bit shaky.
Think crunch time will be in deep winter for all of these when inbound tourism sluggish at best.

June EDI averages:

SWF- 124 pax/flight
BDL- 120 pax/flight
PVD- 103 pax/flight

Not much point looking at percentages due to uncertainty over payload... Expect July and August to be improved as flights showing regularly sold out in the booking engine.

What are the CAA concerns over the DY Max8 ops ? (cant see subscription article)
https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/n...ver-caa-issues

I haven't seen any formal announcement but, late on Monday, Norwegian must have received the necessary ETOPS clearance for their B738MAX aircraft.

The westbound flights on Monday routed over Greenland but, since then, B738MAX flights both ways across the pond have taken direct routings.

Porrohman

Correct, approval was granted about a week ago for 180 minutes ETOPS on the max, planned implementation date was 27/28th to allow time to have the additional rafts installed and ETOPS checks completed.

Some flights westbound may still go north of the OTS because the extra distance can out weigh the teeth of the jet stream at the lower altitudes that the max can achieve when heavy at around 350

ETOPS eastbound should allow for at least another 20 passengers or so.

The first Max stationed in EDI had the changes made a few days back, but the aircraft as pointed out by EIFFS went Non ETOPS on its first flight after the changes, this due to wind/routing advantages. :ok:

MOL has a habit of annoying rivals but he also has an uncanny knack of being right when making outspoken predictions in the airline industry

The article claims pilots joining Norwegian get "permanent employment". So, no more contracting or self employed smoke and mirrors anymore?

IF terms of employment are better at Norwegian, MOL has nothing to complain about. In fact, maybe Norwegian should be shouting about this more...?

Skip ness

That's correct, agency contractor rolls stopped about 2-3 years ago.

The legal employer is OSM aviation which is part owned by Norwegian. So I guess some would say smoke & mirrors but it is permanent employment, tax & NI deducted at source.

The big attraction for Ryanair pilots is leaving Ryanair, everything else is a bonus (UK) including crew food, sick pay, pension, private medical, paid holidays, standby payment ( in addition to basic pay) positioning pay, hotel out of base, free uniform and acquiring points to replace items, downsides are that the roster is variable and for some having to pay tax as an employee,

Not often you hear major carriers in 'asset disposal' to potentially raise funds...
https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/n...-unit-disposal

Both EDI flights are now on MAX8.

I guess as the MAX arrive, older generation 737-800s will be withdrawn. LN-NOT sits engineless at Lasham after hand back to whoever owns it.

Thanks EIFFS, good to know. I love (cliche warning) business who can disrupt the market in favour of us consumers but attacking the terms and conditions of employees has become an art form amongs MBA clone in the industry IMHO.

Have had some cancelled flights for the next few days.

FR have cancelled two EDI to STN tomorrow. So?

Bondi wont be happy......final approval from the US

Tonight we have welcomed news that our British subsidiary ‘Norwegian UK’ (NUK) has been granted a foreign air carrier permit by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The permit allows NUK to operate flights between the UK, Europe and the United States.

Has norwegian launched/announced BHX to EWR or MAN to EWR? Havent paid much attention but their site has
EWR - MAN listed 9th, 16th & 23rd Oct

BHX to EWR 15th & 22nd Oct

But cant see any other dates or directions?

It's via BCN.

Thanks @LAX_LHR - I did wonder.

Just tried Norwegian transatlantic for first time. A mini-review.



As SLF with no weekend stay, BA and VS fares were astronomical. DY was a nobrainer at a fraction of the cost, with lounge access.

Via Twitter, they advised me that they did not offer Fastrack security access in PE, but this was not the case and it was indeed included. After me paying £4.99 to Gatwick Airport separately for the privilege.

At check-in, they told my friend that he might be refused access to USA because his passport was invalid. This was absolute nonsense but made for a fretful flight. I was fairly relaxed because I think DY would have been fined if they got it wrong, but still... its not nice to board a flight with doubts in your mind, knowing how awful US immigration at BOS can be.


The seat was comfortable with excellent legroom (proviso at the bottom)


https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4404/3...6c24ba2a20.jpg

Food was an issue in PE - the included portions were tiny and all our party were ravenous by the time we landed in Boston.


https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4366/3...c1cf6af03c.jpg



The sandwiches were wet, and basically unedible.


https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4369/3...2c85683a7b.jpg



Norwegian were also extremely strict about standing near the galley (and by default, loos) claiming US law forbade people standing there. Funny, no one has told VS or BA that!

And don't pick a window seat unless you really know the person next to you - when seat in front is reclined it is extremely difficult go get out for a loo break...


Would I use them again? Probably. And pick and aisle seat.
But I'd really try to rearrange my dates to include a Saturday night stay and use BA or VS.

SealinkBF
 

It is indeed a US requirement that a PA be made during boarding, requesting that people do not congregate in the galley or toilet area, all airlines operating inbound to/from the US are required to comply with this instruction.

My prepaid economy food looked rather better than yours.

On my route premium was full, but towards the back a number of rows were empty, providing 3 seats across sleeping!

Have the direct Manchester to Malaga flights been canned or simply not loaded yet?

Seems all MAN-Spain routes have been canned (as has BHX).

Norwegian Med flights
 

None loaded yet from any Uk location to the med, told it will be month end before they do and expect some surprises.

I have been told that ex-UK the focus is going to be on long haul (especially Gatwick), and drop short haul service which are ‘harder to make money’...

Wouldn't surprise me if they had, some of the routes were reading more like a bus schedule with the amount of flights per day, especially weekends

EDI to BCN was loaded some weeks ago, as was Tenerife.

New UK airports? Or new routes to the ones they already serve?

I imagine they'll be looking at former Monarch bases, particularly BHX and MAN especially since so far, Ryanair hasn't made any pitch to fill the gap, and I guess with the trimming of services and the bad publicity they have suffered as a consequence any announcement may be badly received by the press and media, if not by the public at large.

I do keep hearing persistent rumours of MAN-SWF.

I'm not surprised about the cuts to a few of the sun routes at MAN. Even with Monarch now out of the picture, it's those sort of routes where there's plenty of well established competition already. Time will tell whether there's big capacity gaps on the ex-Monarch routes, but I appreciate it's more down to yields.