Norwegian Air UK (IATA: DI, ICAO: NCR, Callsign: NORTRANS) was a British airline subsidiary of the Norwegian low-cost carrier Norwegian Air Shuttle. Established in 2015, it operated long-haul flights from London Gatwick Airport (LGW) to destinations primarily in North America and Asia, under the Norwegian brand.
History Norwegian Air UK was founded in November 2015 and received its Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) and Operating Licence from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in 2016. Its establishment allowed Norwegian Air Shuttle to operate routes out of the United Kingdom using UK-registered aircraft and crew, providing flexibility in traffic rights and operational structure, particularly in the context of Brexit and beyond. The airline was headquartered at London Gatwick Airport, which also served as its main operational base.
Operations The airline primarily operated Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, which were part of Norwegian's wider long-haul fleet. These aircraft were used for routes from London Gatwick to various cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco, Boston, Orlando, Denver, Chicago, Austin, and international destinations such as Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Singapore, and Bangkok. Norwegian Air UK played a crucial role in Norwegian's ambitious expansion into the long-haul, low-cost market.
Cessation of Operations In January 2021, Norwegian Air Shuttle announced a significant restructuring of its operations in response to the severe financial challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of this restructuring, the parent company decided to discontinue all long-haul operations, focusing solely on its short-haul network within Europe. Consequently, Norwegian Air UK ceased all flight operations and entered liquidation, with its AOC being returned to the UK CAA. The move led to the grounding of its Boeing 787 fleet and the termination of its long-haul network, marking the end of Norwegian's involvement in the intercontinental market.