The founder of Norwegian Airlines, Bjørn
Kjos, is among the backers of a new long-haul, low-cost airline that will fly between
Europe and the USA starting in December using Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
The airline - Norse Atlantic Airways - has been founded by Bjørn
Tore Larsen, who will act as CEO of the new carrier, and is backed by US$24
million in funding from Larsen along with investors Kjos and Bjørn Kise. Larsen
will own 53 per cent of the shares, Kjos 15 per cent and Kise 12 per cent. The company will be listed on the Euronext Growth market on the Oslo Stock Exchange.
Larsen was the co-founder of OSM
Aviation and will be joined on the new airline's management team by fellow co-founder Espen
Høiby, who was also chief of operations in Oslo at SAS, as chief operating officer. James Lightbourn will act as
chief financial officer.
“We now have a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity to build a brand-new airline from scratch. As the world reopens, the public needs an
innovative, low-cost intercontinental airline with modern, more environmentally friendly-
and fuel-efficient aircraft. We have industry knowledge and have secured modern
Dreamliners at very good terms,” said Larsen.
The company said that initial destinations
are intended to be New York, Los Angeles, Miami, London, Paris, and Oslo and said it
plans to expand its route network to Asia.
In January, Norwegian Airlines announced that it would permanently withdraw from the long-haul, low-cost market to focus on Nordic operations.