Norse Atlantic will soon start operating flights between London Gatwick and the Nigerian city of Lagos on behalf of local airline Air Peace, using its fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
Air Peace recently won approval to operate flights to the United Kingdom, although the privately owned carrier insisted that it wouldn’t launch flights to the UK unless it was granted landing and takeoff rights at London Heathrow Airport.
The airline appears to have had a change of heart and, after failing to secure slot rights at London Heathrow, is now launching flights to London’s secondary airport at Gatwick with the help of Norse Atlantic.
The two airlines have entered into a so-called ‘wetlease’ deal which is formally referred to as an ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance) charter service, in which Norse Atlantic provides everything needed to operate the flights on behalf of Air Peace.
Flights between Lagos and London Gatwick will launch in April 2024 with a four times per week service. Norse Atlantic will initially be chartered to operate the service for just two months, although the Oslo-based carrier hopes to secure a longer-term deal.
Norse Atlantic launched as a low-cost long-haul airline with transatlantic ambitions, and while that side of its business still exists, founder and CEO Bjørn Tore Larsen has been forced to branch out into the wetlease and charter business with some success.
The wetlease business has been particularly important over the quieter winter months, with the airline securing 31 such charter flights in January 2024. The airline has also subleased four of its Boeing 787s.
