Norwegian Air wants to be the first to offer Australians a budget flight to London

AUSTRALIANS could soon fly all the way to Europe on a budget ticket with one of the continent’s biggest low-cost airliners set to take on Qantas on the ‘Kangaroo Route’ run.

EXCLUSIVE

Australian travellers might soon be able to fly all the way to Europe on a budget ticket with one of the continent’s biggest low-cost airliners looking to take on Qantas and other carriers on the “Kangaroo Route” run from Australia to London.

Norwegian Air has emerged as one of the world’s biggest buyers of the latest long-haul aircraft with the Boeing Dreamliner and the Airbus A321LR and A321neo variation, as it plots to move into the booming Asian air passenger market.

The Nordic carrier today made its inaugural flight from UK’s Gatwick Airport to Argentine capital Buenos Aires which will serve as a South American hub for flights to Europe and the US and said Beijing, Shanghai and Japan’s capital Tokyo were next for runs as their new aircraft are delivered.

REVEALED: Aussies win with massive credit card changes

Norwegian Air’s 787 Dreamliner at London Gatwick. Picture: Steve Bates

But they have confirmed to News Corp Australia their huge expansion plans if successful could deliver Australia its first ever low-cost direct flights offer to the UK.

They have not ruled out their distinctive livery being seen in Australian skies but are more likely to look at leveraging its already successful non-stop Dreamliner flights from Singapore to London which they started last October, and partnering a low-cost airline here like Jetstar, Scoot and AirAsia that flies to Singapore, to make the connecting hop.

“As an ambitious airline with a huge aircraft order, it’s no secret that we have plans to expand globally,” a spokesman confirmed.

“We recently launched our first ever route from London to Singapore

“Our Singapore-London flights continue to perform well and the door is open to exploring potential ways we can co-operate with other low-cost carriers that would offer passengers onward connections to other parts of Asia, and places as far as Australia.”

They declined to confirm where they will focus their feasibility studies but last year reports in Europe emerged their wish list included one-stop connections to Sydney and Melbourne.

The industry has long predicted the introduction of the Dreamliner and various offerings of long-haul Airbus aircraft including the A321LR and A350 would revolutionise long haul flying with greater fuel efficiency and aerodynamics lowering operating costs by up to 8 per cent thereby potentially offering cheaper flights.

Norwegian Airlines could revolutionise long haul travel. Picture: Simon Wright

Norwegian’s 787 Dreamliner Singapore-London flights cost an average $260 one way.

The potential introduction of Australia’s first low-cost Europe option will put pressure on Qantas which next month will cease using Dubai as a stopover to London in favour of Singapore, and coincidently at that time will also begin its Dreamliner non-stop passenger flights from Perth to the British capital.

Norwegian Air launched 16 years ago as a short-haul European carrier and ranks as the third largest low-cost EU carriers with 30 million customers annually and around 116 aircraft in operation with an average age of less than four years.

It hit the headlines last month after making the fastest Transatlantic crossing London-New York in five hours and 13 minutes with the record-breaking aircraft graced by an image of Amy Johnson, the first female to fly solo from England to Australia in 1930.

Originally published as Norwegian Air wants to be the first to offer Australians a budget flight to London