Norwegian Air Shuttle plans new Oslo flights

Norwegian Air Shuttle, which successfully launched nonstop flights from Las Vegas to Scandinavia last fall, will offer new flights to and from Oslo, Norway, beginning in November.

The discount carrier, Europe’s third largest, made the announcement Tuesday as part of a series of new long-haul schedule additions.

Norwegian officials said the Oslo flight was added as a result of the airline’s successful launch of Las Vegas service to and from Copenhagen, Denmark, and Stockholm, Sweden, in November.

The new Oslo flights begin Nov. 1 and will be operated Tuesdays.

“Last fall, Norwegian set out on a path that connected our community with two fantastic European markets that had never previously enjoyed the convenience of nonstop service to Las Vegas,” Rosemary Vassiliadis, director of the Clark County Department of Aviation, said in a statement announcing the service.

“Travelers on both sides of the Atlantic responded enthusiastically and I’m confident Norwegian’s forthcoming Oslo flights will become just as popular as its excellent service from Stockholm and Copenhagen has been,” she said.

“With this new route to Las Vegas, we are anticipating more than $14 million in annual economic impact and direct visitor spend,” added Cathy Tull, senior vice president of marketing for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. “The new accessibility will introduce Las Vegas to millions of potential visitors and help our goal of increasing international visitation over the next decade.”

Norwegian will serve the route with a twin-engine, 291-passenger Boeing 787 Dreamliner jet. Flights will leave Las Vegas at 5:10 p.m., arriving after a nine-hour-and-45-minute flight at Oslo Airport, Gardermoen, at 11:55 a.m., Wednesday, local time. The 10-hour-and-25-minute return flight leaves Oslo at 1:45 p.m., locally, arriving at McCarran at 3:10 p.m., Las Vegas time.

The discount carrier is offering a one-way fare of $174 to Oslo and $188 for the return, which includes taxes, but not ancillary fees. The airline offers a “LowFare+” service for $90 more per flight that includes baggage fees, meal service and seat selections.

As part of Tuesday’s announcement, the company announced it is adding service between Boston and London on March 27; Boston-Oslo on April 2; Oakland, Calif.-London on May 12; Boston-Copenhagen on May 17; New York-Paris on July 29; Los Angeles-Paris on July 30; and Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-Paris on Aug. 4. Norwegian currently offers 38 nonstop routes from the United States.

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Find him on Twitter: @RickVelotta.