Norwegian Air focuses on long-haul growth as A320neos delayed

Norwegian Air Shuttle is seeking US backing for an expansion of its UK-based long-haul operations that would allow the carrier to offer services such as South Africa to New York via London. A successful outcome following an application to the US DoT could lead Norwegian Air to exercise an option to buy 10 more Boeing 787 Dreamliners, swelling the fleet in service or on order to 50, CE Bjorn Kjos said . While Norwegian can fly from Britain to certain cities in the Americas, Africa and Asia under a UK air operators certificate granted last year, that doesn’t include US routes. A foreign-carrier permit is therefore being sought from the DoT that would provide “maximum flexibility,” including flights such as Cape Town or Johannesburg to the US via the carrier’s London Gatwick hub. <br/>