The English analysts wondered how smart it was of northern man to bet in one of the toughest airline markets.
What could this small Norwegian upstart get to, with its red-white company that almost no Brits knew?
At analyselskapet Anna Aero pointed one that several foreign companies had tried the same thing before, most recently Irish Aer Lingus, and had to withdraw quickly after suffering heavy losses.
There are at present gold standard for English, after only two years of their base at London Gatwick Airport.
Doubled traffic just two years
Norwegian has achieved great success with its focus from Gatwick. The Norwegians are currently the third largest operator, only beaten by EasyJet and British Airways. And on Europe’s ninth largest airport, with 14 million more travelers than Oslo Airport.
Until now, efforts have been towards Scandinavia and the traffic heavy routes to the United States and in Europe. Still a small player airlines between London and North America compared to English and American flygiganter which parts of the day flying hour routes between the continents. But Kjos is alone fly low – and from Gatwick – on these routes.
And English is growing. As recently as last week was yet another intercontinental route presented to Puerto Rico in the Caribbean. And Kjos does not deny that the English have more to come.
A good illustration of the growth so far is this: In two years, passenger numbers doubled, from 1.2 million to 2.4 million. Number of routes has increased from 11 in 2012 to 37 in 2014.
– Routes to worldwide current of London
Inspired by the good reception takes Kjos now a far greater grip and has applied for British operating license for its operations from London. It provides the ability to open routes to third countries, which is not possible with the company’s current Norwegian license. Information manager Lasse Sandakerveien-Nielsen explains so what perspectives this brings when it comes to starting new routes:
– The whole world is topical from London and specifically we look at both South Africa and South America. US routes has been a great success so far and we strongly believe that new routes to other continents will attract British travelers, he said.
A good idea of how positive initiative on European routes and overseas routes from Gatwick have been, disclosed in the company’s first quarter results. Where it is evident that the two markets that are growing most for English is England and Spain, which could boast a total of 320,000 new travelers.
Almost all the growth came in London
Nearly two-thirds of this growth or 233,000 passengers are Britons who in a short time have discovered the offer from the previously totally unknown Norwegian airline.
At Gatwick, where airlines place their second Dreamliner aircraft this summer, is not little impressed by what Kjos has achieved in a short time. The company has had one of the steepest growth curves management at the British airport has ever seen:
– Since Norwegian spaced own aircraft here at the airport for just two years ago, the company has grown to become the third largest player at the airport here. We are impressed, said airport spokesman Russell Guthrie Aftenposten.
Bet with renewed optimism
In English adds not hide the optimism they are moving forward from Gatwick at:
– All bases are important to us, but there is no doubt that London Gatwick is the base that has the greatest growth potential. Remember that Gatwick has a catchment area of tens of millions and long route traffic there is currently limited, says Sandakerveien-Nielsen.
English will not reveal whether London initiative is throwing off:
– We do not report on the route areas or bases, only English group gathered. However, there is no doubt that we are very pleased with developments at Gatwick, said Sandakerveien-Nielsen.
Norwegian currently has a ninety odd pilots linked to the company’s base in London, as well as around 200 cabin crew.
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