Norwegian plays down plans for Sydney fights

Norwegian Air has made tentative plans to commence flying to Australia, however the airline doesn't expect flights to begin any time soon.

The low-cost airline pencilled Sydney and Melbourne onto an ambit 'laundry list' of some 155 cities – 75 domestic and 80 international – which could be flown from Argentina, which would serve as a South American hub to the Europe and the USA.

However, the optimistic roster pitches significantly more routes than the airline has aircraft. A spokesperson from Norwegian Air admitted to Australian Business Traveller than even if the application to  Argentina's civil aviation authority was approved "it would still be a number of years before many of the routes move forwards."

More likely to eventuate are rumoured plans to fly from Singapore to Sydney and Melbourne, linking both cities with the London-Singapore Boeing 787-9 service which Norwegian Air will launch this week.

This would make Norwegian the only budget-minded airline with 'business class' on the Kangaroo Route, although the reclining seats are more akin to what you'd find in the premium economy cabin of other airlines – although you still get meals and drinks, AC and USB power and checked luggage.

Norwegian Airlines declined to comment specifically on plans to fly to Australia from Singapore, with the spokesperson saying only that "there are no immediate plans to serve Australia at this stage."

David Flynn

David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.