Norwegian Air picks US bases for single-aisle Europe trips

Norwegian Air Shuttle said it has chosen the first two US bases for the trans-Atlantic flights it plans to introduce later this year using Boeing Co. 737 single-aisle planes. The discount airline will serve one airport north of New York City and another south of Boston, CEO Bjorn Kjos said Wednesday at a briefing in Brussels. He declined to name the bases since FAA approvals are still required. Kjos’s comments come after White House spokesman Sean Spicer provided a boost for his plans by saying that the US has “a huge economic interest” in the trans-Atlantic project because of Norwegian’s role as a buyer of Boeing aircraft and its commitment to employing American crews. Shares of the Fornebu, Norway-based closed 4.5% higher in Oslo after their biggest gain since Dec. 5, when the stock surged 15% following US regulatory approval for the expansion of low-cost flights using a unit registered in Ireland. Norwegian Air’s plan to deploy Boeing’s re-engined 737 Max on trans-Atlantic services is the latest move in its bid to establish a sustainable model for discounted long-haul flying. While the company already serves major American airports using 787 Dreamliner wide-bodies, the new flights will connect secondary cities in Europe with smaller US terminals where fees are lower.<br/>