New airline, Norse Atlantic to offer flights from CPT to UK from R12K in October
The low-cost Norwegian Airline will operate flights three times a week, with flights leaving Cape Town on a Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday.
Cape Town International Airport. Picture: Airports Company South Africa/Facebook
John Maytham speaks to Travel Writer, Andrew Thompson about the potential benefits for travellers with the introduction of Norse Atlantic Airways.
Thompson reports that Norse Atlantic Airways will launch a route connecting London Gatwick Airport with Cape Town International Airport on 28 October 2024.
The low-cost Norwegian Airline will operate flights three times a week, with flights leaving Cape Town on a Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday.
Flights will depart London Gatwick at 20:00 and land in Cape Town at 09:30 the following morning.
Flights departing from Cape Town will leave at 11:45 and arrive at London Gatwick at 21:35 the same day.
Norse Atlantic, which only uses the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, offers two cabin choices: economy and Norse Premium. Passengers can also choose from a range of fares: Light, Classic, and Flextra.
Thompson says the excitement around this airline are the low-cost fares compared to other airlines.
Fares start at around R11,800 return in Economy and about R28,000 for a return in Norse Premium class.
However, Thompson says, low fares are how low-cost airlines lure customers but passengers should be aware of 'flextra fares'.
Flextra fares include the maximum baggage allowance, two meal services and greater ticket flexibility.
"They'll lure you in at first and later spike their prices at different times and charge you extra for additional things like meals, drinks, hand luggage, upgrades, etc."
- Andrew Thompson, Travel Writer
From an economic perspective, Thompson says the revenue from an airline like this is meant to get the British to Cape Town to spend their Pounds, which is good for the local economy.
"It doesn't speak to most of us, the idea behind this is primarily to cater to rich British tourists and bring them with their Pounds into the local economy - from that regard it has created jobs and injected money into the local economy, so it's probably better contextualised from an economic perspective."
- Andrew Thompson, Travel Writer
Find Thompson's full article where he compares fares from Norse Atlantic Airways and other airlines, here.
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the full conversation.