Norwegian low-cost carrier Norse Atlantic Airways has been making headlines recently, following the announcement of four new US-bound routes out of London Gatwick Airport (LGW). The carrier offers two classes of travel onboard its Boeing 787s, but there are several different options when it comes to ticket types.
Three economy fare types
Economy class passengers make up the bulk of Norse Atlantic‘s traffic, with the carrier’s economy cabins accounting for 83.4% (282 of 338) of the seats onboard its Boeing 787-9s. With the airline offering some of the lowest transatlantic fares, these are the place to be for passengers wanting to hop across the pond cheaply.
However, as is often the case with low-cost carriers, there isn’t a blanket fare type covering all economy class tickets. Instead, there are three different tariffs, with the cheapest being known as Economy Light. Passengers traveling on such tickets may only bring an underseat bag for free, with any other baggage costing extra. This tariff also has the strictest ticket change rules, and no meals included.
Photo: Jake Hardiman | Simple Flying
Moving up a level, Economy Classic tickets allow passengers to additionally bring a second piece of hand luggage, as well as a checked bag weighing up to 23kgs/50lbs. Ticket change fees are lower, and a meal service is also included on transatlantic flights. Economy Plus also gets you extra baggage and a meal service, as well as priority boarding, seat selection, and no change fees apart from the fare difference.
Premium economy has a similar system
The front section of Norse Atlantic’s Boeing 787-9s features 56 premium economy recliners in a 2-3-2 configuration. Passengers in this cabin also have three ticket types to choose from, with Premium Light being the cheapest. This gets you two cabin bags and meal services, as well as priority boarding and check-in.
However, ticket change fees still apply, which is also true for Premium Classic tickets. This middle tariff offers the same benefits as Premium Light, as well as a single piece of checked baggage up to 23kgs and lower ticket change fees.
Photo: Jake Hardiman | Simple Flying
Norse Atlantic’s most expensive tickets come under the Premium Plus category. Much like its economy counterpart, this tariff allows passengers free seat selection and no ticket change fees apart from the difference in fare. As well as the usual premium economy perks of priority check-in and boarding and two meal services, this tariff stands out by being the only one with two checked bags included.
Is premium economy worth the upgrade?
Having assessed the various fare types available, this begs the question of whether Norse Atlantic’s premium economy cabin is worth the cost of an upgrade. Seating-wise, this part of the aircraft offers slightly larger entertainment screens than those in economy class. When it comes to seat pitch, ch-aviation.com shows that the premium economy cabin offers 46 inches, vs 31-32 in economy.
I recently flew from London to Oslo in Norse’s economy cabin, and back in premium economy. For the return leg, the difference in (light) fare was around £28 ($33.80), with upgrades on the day being offered for $50. The extra space, at this price, was a nice perk, and worth the cost. However, on longer US-bound flights, the fare difference can be hundreds of dollars, and thus may require more consideration.
Sources: ch-aviation.com, Norse Atlantic Airways