Norwegian launching Gatwick service to Singapore
From 28th September, Norwegian will operate four weekly flights, increasing to five in the winter, from London Gatwick to Singapore Changi Airport, voted the World’s Best Airport by passengers for five years in a row.
The new Singapore route will be operated on Norwegian’s new B787 Dreamliner aircraft (above) offering up to 344 seats in both economy and Premium cabins.
As one of the world’s leading centres for financial services, logistics and technology, Norwegian’s new route to Singapore opens up new opportunities for business and leisure travellers and access to the wider access Asia-Pacific.
Norwegian will offer UK passengers an affordable way to access the cosmopolitan ‘Lion City’, which perfectly combines the old with the new - historic neighbourhoods and temples; picturesque beaches and parks; all bordered by modern skyscrapers offering a city lifestyle of shopping malls and fine dining
Norwegian already offers flights from London Gatwick to nine US destinations including the newly announced routes to Seattle and Denver. With a huge aircraft order and new traffic rights in place, the new Singapore route marks the first step in Norwegian’s ambitions to expand its existing long-haul network into a range of new global markets.
Norwegian CEO Bjorn Kjos said: “Our transatlantic flights have shown the huge demand for affordable long-haul travel, so we are delighted to expand into new markets and offer our first route to Asia from the UK.
“Travel should be affordable for all so adding Singapore to our growing UK network will give passengers even more choice for affordable, quality travel to a range of global destinations.
“The UK is at the heart of Norwegian’s ambitious plans for growth so it is a significant moment not only to launch this exciting new route, but also for it to be the first long-haul route to take to the skies with our new ‘Norwegian UK’ subsidiary.”
Stewart Wingate, Chief Executive, Gatwick Airport said: “These new direct flights between two of the world's top three financial centres will be welcome news for business travellers, particularly at a time when global trade is increasingly important for the UK economy. Singapore is also a key tourist destination and gateway hub for long-haul travellers looking to venture further into Southeast Asia and Australia.
“I’m delighted that Norwegian has responded to this demand and added such a premier destination to its growing long haul network from Gatwick. Crucially, Norwegian continues to make important destinations like Singapore much more affordable and easier to reach for a wider range of passengers. As our 50-strong world route network expands, so too does Gatwick’s reputation on the global stage as a strong, dependable option for international travel.”
Mr Lee Seow Hiang, CEO, Changi Airport Group said: “We are delighted to welcome Norwegian to Changi’s portfolio of airlines in September; it will enhance options for Changi Airport's passengers as well as attract more UK visitors to Singapore. With changing consumer preferences and an improvement in aircraft technology, low-cost carriers have taken the opportunity to expand into the long-haul market. We will continue to work with our airline partners to exploit other such opportunities to grow their operations at Changi.”
The Singapore route will be operated by the UK subsidiary ‘Norwegian UK’ (NUK) which was established in 2015 to give the airline a stronger foothold in the UK market, and allow it to access bilateral traffic rights to a series of new markets in Asia, Africa and South America. NUK is headquartered at London Gatwick, and will use British-registered Dreamliner aircraft and Gatwick-based crew to operate the new services.
Norwegian carries 5.2 million UK passengers each year from four UK airports, to more than 50 global destinations. The airline has one of the youngest aircraft fleets in the world with an average age of 3.6 years and more than 200 new aircraft on order.
Norwegian has been awarded the ‘World's best low-cost long-haul airline’ for two consecutive years at the SkyTrax World Airline Awards.
