Norse Atlantic to use Norwegian Air planes with fresh paint job

Norse Atlantic Airways is copying more than just the long-haul playbook of insolvent discounter Norwegian Air Shuttle. It’s using the carrier’s old planes. The startup airline has agreed to lease nine Boeing 787 jets formerly used by Norwegian, Norse CEO Bjorn Tore Larsen said. The new company, which announced Monday that it plans to start flying in December, will change the paint job but otherwise leave the layout intact, he said. Using the same planes underscores the degree to which Norse’s founding executives -- all with ties to Norwegian -- plan to duplicate the low-cost, trans-Atlantic strategy that proved competitive but generated too much debt. Larsen says he believes Norwegian’s business model was sound, and the carrier was instead brought down by engine issues and the Covid-19 pandemic. Norse has begun recruiting pilots and cabin crew through OSM Aviation, Larsen’s previous venture that also supplied flight personnel to Norwegian. It is in discussions about gaining airport slots, and London’s Gatwick airport -- a former hub for Norwegian -- is high on the list. Larsen says that while the carrier is planning to begin flying this year, the launch is dependent on both the end of travel restrictions and the return of demand. <br/>