Los Angeles, April 15, 2026, 3:07 PM PDT
- Norse Atlantic is no longer selling tickets for its planned summer services out of Los Angeles to London Gatwick, Paris Charles de Gaulle, and Rome Fiumicino.
- The airline on Tuesday kicked off a fully underwritten $110 million rights issue, secured a $70 million bridge loan, and pulled its 2026 outlook.
- Carriers in Europe and Asia are slashing capacity after a jet-fuel price surge linked to the Middle East conflict.
Norse Atlantic Airways is dropping its entire slate of summer flights from Los Angeles, axing direct connections to London Gatwick, Paris, and Rome. The no-frills transatlantic carrier is feeling the pinch from rising jet fuel prices. According to local and travel reports out Wednesday, those routes have vanished from the airline’s summer program.
The impact right now? It’s clear: the fuel shock isn’t only driving up airfares—it’s also leading to route changes and flight cuts. According to Reuters, jet fuel prices have surged to more than twice what they were in late February, as supply chains take a hit from the Middle East conflict. Airlines are responding by upping fares, tacking on surcharges, and paring back schedules.
Low-cost carriers are feeling the squeeze. According to Reuters, fuel accounts for around 25% of airline operating expenses, but budget airlines tend to get hit harder since they sell tickets far in advance and cater to travelers who are more sensitive to price changes. “Airlines face an existential challenge,” Rigas Doganis, chair of consultancy Airline Management Group, said to Reuters in March. Reuters
According to CAPA, Norse had lined up a six-times-weekly Los Angeles-Gatwick service starting June 1, plus Los Angeles-Paris three times a week and Los Angeles-Rome twice a week, both set for May 29. But as of April 14, those flights vanished from GDS inventory and timetable screens. CAPA noted Norse was the sole scheduled carrier on Gatwick-Los Angeles.
Norse is making cuts, even after what looks like a robust March. The carrier reported unit revenue in its network jumped 59% year-on-year, landing at 6.4 U.S. cents per available seat kilometre. Load factor hit a hefty 99%. Chief Executive Eivind Roald pointed to healthy demand, but flagged a “sudden unprecedented increase in the jet fuel price” as a concern. Cision News
Norse’s latest move: cut back, raise new funds, and double down on contract work. On Tuesday, the airline detailed a fully underwritten $110 million rights issue, lined up a $70 million bridge loan, and pulled its 2026 guidance. About half the fleet is now flying under ACMI agreements—leasing aircraft, crews, maintenance, and insurance to other carriers, which helps buffer against swings in fuel prices.
The shift had started well before. Last year, Reuters said IndiGo deepened its Boeing 787 tie-up with Norse, highlighting the Norwegian airline’s move to diversify—leasing out jets to patch its network, not just chasing cheap transatlantic seats.
Pressure isn’t letting up elsewhere. Virgin Atlantic’s CEO says fuel costs are “here to stay”; Lufthansa points to shortages that could leave some planes grounded. Cathay Pacific, also feeling the pinch, will drop certain flights between mid-May and the end of June. Reuters
The concern stretches beyond a single airline or airport. Norse indicated in March that demand held up, pointing to cost pressures rather than a drop in bookings. Still, Reuters noted this week that both airlines and analysts are uneasy about jet kerosene availability, ceasefire or not, and there’s talk that stronger players could scoop up market share as weaker competitors pull back.
Norse kicked off Gatwick-Los Angeles flights in 2023, looking to make a go of the route after Norwegian Air’s earlier stumble. The gamble: pandemic-era bargains on Boeing 787 leases might make their cut-rate transatlantic plan viable. Now, the company is gearing up for a strategic review—sale, merger, or partnership all on the table.
