Anders Lindström, Director of Communications, North America for Norwegian, is flanked by Dina Carlucci, Director of Marketing and Communications for Hamilton International Airport (left) and Dana Welch, Manager, Canada, Tourism Ireland.
An Irish fiddler entertained guests.
Canadian #1: “I’m flying Norwegian from Hamilton, Ontario to Dublin, Ireland next spring.”
Canadian #2: “Nothing in that sentence makes sense.”
Canadian #1: “It’s true, bud. Hold my beer and I’ll show you my e-ticket.”
“We’re doing things a bit differently,” says Anders Lindström, Director of Communications, North America for Norwegian, the world’s fastest-growing airline.
That’s an understatement. The winner of the Skytrax award for World’s Best Long Haul Low-Cost Carrier for four consecutive years is coming to Canada for the first time in an unusual way. No, it’s not offering flights from Oslo to Toronto. As of 31MAR, 2019, Norwegian will begin offering daily flights from Hamilton, Ontario to Dublin, Ireland using Boeing 737MAX equipment.
“We’re disrupting the market,” Lindström said. “Going to and from places where there’s demand and a competitive marketplace.”
Norwegian will also offer flights from Montreal this winter to the French Caribbean destinations of Martinique and Guadeloupe.
Lindstrom was in Toronto this week for a lunch co-hosted by Tourism Ireland and Hamilton International Airport. Norwegian’s arrival is a big deal for the airport, which is working to secure a niche as an alternative to YYZ for low-cost and leisure flights.
“We’re enjoying remarkable growth. We have witnessed the power of the low-cost model,” says Dina Carlucci, YHM’s Director of Marketing and Communications. “With Norwegian’s low-cost, non-stop, daily flights to Dublin, we’re giving Canadians what they want.”
One-way YHM-DUB flights start at $209 one-way, during April and May of next year. In peak season the price starts at $279 one-way. Norwegian’s LowFare option includes one carry-on bag of up to 10kg and free WiFi on the flight. The LowFare+ option costs $70 more and includes a checked bag of up to 20kg, a seat reservation and free WiFi.
While Norwegian doesn’t pay commission per say, it does provide a portal for agent bookings at Norwegian.com that enables travel advisors to add a fee. As well, pricing on the portal is based on the LowFare+ option that comes with seat selection and a checked bag. “We like working with agents and we believe there is good potential for them,” Lindström told Open Jaw.
“We’re so excited about this new service,” says Dana Welch, Manager, Canada, Tourism Ireland. “It’s an incredible price and we’re looking forward to a great year in 2019.”
Norwegian flights will depart YHM at 7:45 pm, arriving DUB at 7:30 am.
Bruce Parkinson Editor-in-Chief
An observer and analyst of the Canadian and international travel industries for over 25 years, Bruce uses the pre-dawn hours to prepare a daily news and information package to keep industry members up to date.
