Norwegian Airlines

Second hand report of a nephew's experience flying Norwegian Air from the east coast to Sweden.

Baggage is an extra charge with online advanced payment being cheaper than at the airport payment. The problem was they couldn't get the online system to take their credit cards.

The family showed up at the airport prepared to pay the airport rate for baggage for the boy's bag and had similar credit card acceptance problems. The counter did not accept cash. Fortunately my niece had a card that worked and the checked her brother's bag.

Edgar,

Which credit card worked?

Regarding the availability of Norwegian Airlines flights from particular destinations, keep in mind Norwegian Airlines is not a full-market airline. It specializes select (seasonal?) routes and often operates out of second-tier (budget airline) airports on the Europe side of the ocean. Norwegian Airlines can be compared to the USA's Allegiant, Spirit or Sun Country airlines.

If you are flying from/to one of their USA destinations it can be a great deal. However, if you are needing to connect from some other location, there are hassles. They don't partner with other airlines so your luggage isn't checked all the way through. You still need to factor in the cost of separate tickets to/from their USA port of call. If you are transferring from another airline and you are delayed - you're generally out of luck (hope you have trip insurance).

Now really, is saving a couple hundred bucks on a several thousand dollar trip (that you've been saving a year or more for) really worth the risk and hassle? If yes, at least do your research – buyer beware.

Also read reviews of Norwegian on Skytraxx. To me there is a big red flag of the number of complaints where flights from/to the US were delayed, sometimes seriously delayed, because of problems with Norwegian's scheduled Dreamliner.

Todd,

I'm referring to a round trip from the U.S. to Europe (I do want to come home!). No connections involved. Why would an airline have multiple, available departure dates from the U.S. to cities A, B, C, D, etc. in Europe, yet offer no return dates in the same or following month from those same cities? I've seen this scenario across any number of months (between Sept., 2015 and Mar., 2016) and European cities. I understand seasonal schedules, but that would apply only to a round trip itinerary, ne c'est pas?

Larry, thanks for the heads-up about those red flags. Has that been a chronic problem with the carrier?

You can look at the Skytraxx reviews over the last couple years and decide for yourself, maybe also look at them in places like TA and elsewhere (Google). Obviously this is not a report of all their flights, but you have to judge for yourself. Their US-Europe flights are all supposed to be Dreamliners. To me, the risk of the delays and missing the connection is too great. In fall of 2013 we were putting together last summer's trip to Berlin and Copenhagen, and considered both SAS and NAS. Prices were great but we did not like what we saw on the reviews. Then there was the also not insignificant consideration for us living 1/2 mile outside of Philadelphia and having to do these flights in and out of JFK (NAS) and Newark (SAS) - while we are willing to have one of our offspring drive us to Newark to depart, we are not willing to base the full trip out of either of these.

Note also that you add an additional layer of complexity by having to connect TO your Norwegian flight from the US, and that will be on another airline with a separate ticket - no protection if that flight runs into an issue.

It's possible that you aren't seeing return flights because they don't have an early enough flight from the city you are selecting to get to Oslo, Stockholm or London Gatwick in time to catch your connection to the US.

Try searching a return flight from one of those cities and see if you get somewhere.

Larry -

I read a number of Skytrax reviews of Norwegian Airlines, most of which might cause me to want to swim the Atlantic rather than risk the frustration it seems to engender on a regular basis. Then there's your saga trying to get out of Philly - efficiently. I guess this speaks to the carrier's low fares. You get what you pay for.

Yep, getting from Missoula to the continent does add another layer of chance - along with the option of flying westward over the Artic. I just moved here from DC and have to adjust to that supplemental complexity of another travel leg. Thankfully, Seattle, Denver and Salt Lake City have ample options for carriers and schedules to Europe.

Until you mentioned it, I had not known of Skytrax, a site I've now bookmarked. Thanks! I've used Trip Advisor for B&Bs, but not yet for airlines. Another tool in the toolbox.

Have you taken Icelandair to Europe? If so, what's been your experience? I seriously considered doing so last summer, but it offered no flights to Budapest. Surprisingly, I can take it directly (likely on a partner airline like Alaska Air) from little 'ol Missoula to Paris and a number of other European cities!

Nordheim, the return time from Europe is not a factor, as there is no option for selecting departure (or return - if they exist!) times on the N.A. site. I plugged in only the U.S. departure and European arrival cities and dates. I even tried to find a round trip flight from Paris to NYC to see what I would get. Again - stuck in the States! Seems its on-line reservation system is seriously broken. Or, N.A. just doesn't believe in round trip itineraries! I e-mailed N.A. about this conundrum and am awaiting a reply.

David - We have not flown Icelandair (they do not serve Philly Airport) but many here have, and many have had favorable things to say about them. Search! True they do not fly to Budapest, but there are other ways to get to and from there once in Europe. Using them will ALWAYS require changing planes in Reykjavik.

I did not believe you could not get the info you need from NAS, so I looked at their site. There seems to be a trick on the NAS site. Try this - set up two round-trips. The first is New York-Copenhagen, the second is an interior Copenhagen-Paris. You need to play with this idea a bit, see where flying out of San Francisco or LA will take you. All of the NAS flights will be direct from the US to either Oslo,Stockholm, or Copenhagen. Then find the flight from there to Paris. I don't recall this from when I searched here 2 years ago, but that could just be faulty memory.

The Philadelphia Airport problem is that it is squeezed by Dulles and the NYC trio. We only have 13 airlines with providing service here. Carriers already at the other airports do not feel the need to add gates here. We are fortunate that Lufthansa maintains one daily flight out of here, to Frankfurt. Otherwise it is USAir, American (about to be one and the same) and BA to their European hubs. To get into the Delta/KLM system or Air Canada requires first flying elsewhere here (counting Toronto/Montreal as "here") to then connect to the transatlantic flight.

Larry,

Well, as the saying goes, "Live and learn." I've never heard of an airline making passengers jump through hoops such as you describe to get to a desired city. Fly to undesired city "X" then rebound from there to desired city "A" - but we're not telling you how to do it or that you have to do it! Bizarre. That in itself make shoo me away. I'll try on your suggestion for size tomorrow and let you know what I find.

I ended up taking British Airways from Dulles to Budapest last summer - and with a sparkling degree of efficiency and satisfaction. I paid for absolutely nothing aside from my ticket. All meals and drinks included; two generous-size carry-on bags for free; and my bicycle for free - in a super big box to boot. Their service was grand and friendly as well. I was even given a pass (a random selection no doubt) on the security inspection (the TSA guy, in all good humor, called it "graduation day") at Dulles!

BTW, check the Icelandair site again. It does indeed fly out of Philly. Sort of mostly I just plugged in a PHL-CDG itinerary and see that it takes you first (via Air Canada) to Toronto, then on to Reykjavik and Paris (on Icelandair) for $1,096 on a July, 2016 departure. Then, repeat the process on the return.

Well, as the saying goes, "Live and learn." I've never heard of an airline making passengers jump through hoops such as you describe to get to a desired city. Fly to undesired city "X" then rebound from there to desired city "A" - but we're not telling you how to do it or that you have to do it! Bizarre. That in itself make shoo me away. I'll try on your suggestion for size tomorrow and let you know what I find.

Southwest actually sometimes makes you do all kinds of weird things if you're trying to go from one of their outstations to another one of their outstations because they won't let you book a connecting ticket if the layover would be something like more than 2.5 hours. In order to generate an actual round trip ticket with them that will take me from Pensacola to Grand Rapids or Pensacola to San Francisco, I have to book it as two different open jaw round trips- first 'round trip' will be something like Pensacola-Nashville with five hours in the Nashville airport before picking up a flight to Grand Rapids; second 'round trip' will be something like Grand Rapids-BWI, four hour break in BWI and then BWI back to Pensacola.

At which point, I realize doing it that way will run me 50% more than it would just to book a 'normal' round trip on Delta, even if I'm checking baggage and just go with the allegedly higher priced legacy carrier.

tldr; it's not just Norwegian that has schedule and ticketing weirdness among the bigger low cost carriers.

IcelandAir does not fly out of Philadelphia. It has no gates here. They will hook you with the connecting flight to get to/from their hub. And it also appears that they are doing this the same as NAS, you need to book this as two one-ways, it also won't accept a RT from Philly to Europe.

I believe the thing with NAS is that although they show that "return" choice, they are booking one-way fares. And leaving from Europe for the US they only give the direct flights from their hub, while for flying over they will connect you.

With NAS there appears to be no penalty for one-way fares. We also played with Iceland for last eyar's trip, and did note that there was a slight increase for two-one way fares as opposed to a complete trip. If we had to use Newark or JFK, we would not bother with a connecting flight, the time to be driven will be less than the layover and that is without even considering the 30-45 minutes (depending on traffic) between our house and PHL by car.

Some of the biggest airlines in the world -- by passenger volume -- do not connect flights, not even to their own flights. Ryanair and easyJet became essential European carriers by selling short flights one at a time with no refunds if a second flight is missed even if the first flight comes in late. Yet the system worked, and these (along with Southwest in the US, to some extent) are the models for Norwegian, the most daring attempt to turn the budget formulato long-haul service.

Larry,

Icelandair may not have gates in Philly identifying itself as such, but check out this link if you haven't already done so. But I suppose you have!

[www.icelandair.us/flights][1]

It shows Philly as one among many other U.S. departure cities. Then plug in whatever European destination city shows up under that heading. For my purposes, that's essentially an Icelandair flight and itinerary, even though the first leg is on a partner carrier.

That Norwegian Air reservation system is looking more bizarre the more I learn about it! Is it designed to "impress" passengers somehow with low one-way fares (which they certainly appear to be) or just scare them off?! Either way, it's a silly and frustrating way to book a flight - or do business.

I'll play with two one-way fares on N.A. to see what I find. Stay tuned.

Larry -

Below, in quotes, are the replies I received from Norwegian Air regarding a round trip itinerary, JFK-CDG. Well, you're right. No matter which departure and return months you plug in, you can only fly to Paris, etc. (via Oslo, Helsinki, Copenhagen, etc.), but not get back to the states from Paris. You have to fly first to, then out of a Scandinavian country to return to the U.S. - on a R/T ticket or two one-way tickets to Oslo - then book an Oslo flight to Paris and back. But hey, a $500 or so airfare is quite sweet, I guess, if you don't mind the hassles of a second itinerary on a second carrier for a second fee. And additional baggage charges. And N.A.'s lousy record of late departures. Makes you wonder if N.A. exists to support the Scandinavian hotel and restaurant sector or to get its passengers to where they want to go - efficiently! Truly an odd way to run a business, especially given the large number of cities it services.

"If that is the case it is because we don't offer any valid connections via the transfer airport from your destination. For example, if you search a flight from JFK to Paris you will find an option via Oslo. This option is available because we offer a valid connection in Oslo between your arrival flight from JFK and the departing flight to Paris. On the return leg you will see that our flight from Paris to Oslo is departing very late, not allowing for a valid connection to JFK on the same date. That is why it's not shown as an option when you search our website. I don't know if you are searching for flights to/from Paris, but I assume it will be the same issue with your destination."

"The flight on the return leg is departing Paris (to Oslo) very late, meaning you will arrive in Oslo after the flight to New York has departed. That is why we don't offer the connection (connecting flight from Oslo). Unfortunately, there is not much to do about this. An option is to check other airlines for earlier departures from Paris to Oslo and then book our flight from Oslo to JFK. Or fly from Paris to Oslo and then on to JFK the following day, but in this case you have to make separate bookings."

Then look at other options between Paris and Oslo that might could get you there at an acceptable time to make the connection to NY. All the budgets offer fair one-way fares. And think outside the box - see where the LA or SF NAS flights land, and if that connects to Paris better. From where you are, isn't it just as easy to go to the west coast to then fly over? There are many here who would question flying through JFK.

I've looked into flying Norwegian before, but after looking into the difference with a cheaper ticket decided it wasn't worth it. It was for a quick OSL - CPH one-way flight this month. I choose SAS instead because, while the fare was slightly higher with SAS...
- flight was at a better time of day
- included my checked bag with no additional fee
- let me choose and reserve an aisle seat at the time of booking with no extra fee
- normal 31" legroom instead of the 29" legroom on the Norwegian 737

Larry -

Having never before flown a budget carrier to Europe, this is a new pond for me to swim in - should I decide to go that route. And I guess with attractive N.A. fares to Scandinavia, it's not out of the question to jump through another hoop, pending more research on the carrier's departure time record and such. Other than Skytrax, what websites are out there to check the performance, etc. of the various airlines around the world?

I used JFK only as a sample city, since I'm from the DC area and have always flown from the East Coast. It helped to make a general comparison with those IAD, JFK and EWR fares with which I'm so familiar. Yep, logistically it makes saner sense for me these days to fly out of Seattle, Denver or Portland.