A new airline is leading the transatlantic market to and from New York — and it’s not the carrier you might be thinking. For years, British Airways was the biggest non-US airline on transatlantic routes to and from the New York City area. However, now, that title is owned by a low-cost newcomer: Norwegian Air Shuttle.
In the 12 months ending July 2018, Norwegian carried a total of 1.67 million passengers to or from airports in the NYC area, according to data from the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey and obtained by Reuters. By comparison, BA carried a total of 1.63 million.
While US-based carriers still reign supreme on those transatlantic routes between the NYC area and Europe — the largest of which being United — Norwegian’s takeover of the title held by BA represents a shift in consumer demand.
The Port Authority’s data includes information only on John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and LaGuardia Airport (LGA). Notably missing is New York Stewart International Airport (SWF), where Norwegian has grown its presence in the past year.
Low-cost carriers, such as Norwegian, have made a splash in the international market. With the launch of Norwegian and its mass expansion throughout the US, other low-cost competitions have added their presence into the mix, such as WOW Air, Level and more. Full-service carriers have felt the effects of the low-cost influence, with many introducing basic economy fares with comparable airfare.