What you REALLY get when you fly London to New York for £150: We put Norwegian's budget transatlantic flights to the test

A friend and I recently discovered that we were travelling from New York to London on the same day. 'Which airline?' she asked. 'BA or Virgin?'

As it happened, I was flying neither. Instead, I was flying Norwegian, a budget Scandinavian airline that has been muscling in on the competitive London-New York route with significantly lower prices. But her question showed just how heavily the British airlines (along with American Airlines and Delta) dominate the market.

As a Brit living in New York, I make the trip frequently, and earn airmiles with both Virgin and British Airways. But I was curious to know whether the heavily-advertised Norwegian flight could compete on comfort as well as cost.

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Undercutting the competition: Budget airline Norwegian is offering flights from London's Gatwick to New York's JFK from just £150 one-way

With prices from as low as £151 one-way, I was prepared for a less-than-luxurious experience. My booking confirmation indicated that one can pay £35 extra per leg for one piece of checked-in baggage, a pre-ordered meal with drinks and seat reservation. 

As a Premium passenger however (prices from £560 one-way), such 'luxuries' are included along with a blanket and earbud headphones. 

I was lucky enough to be seated in that Premium cabin - seat 1J no less - which boasts a spacious 2-3-2 seat formation. And while it cannot be compared with the comfort of BA's business class flat beds, it certainly beats its Premium Economy in terms of space. 

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Modern: All of Norwegian's Transatlantic flights are on new 787 Dreamliner planes which boast large windows with a 'sunglasses mode' in lieu of blinds and cabin lighting designed to ease the effects of jetlag

FLYING NORWEGIAN: THE DETAILS 

• Service: The service was charming - cabin crew appeared to be largely American and their enthusiasm seemed genuine.
• Food: Plane food is usually a letdown, but I was impressed with the standard of the dishes on my Norwegian flight. I was served shrimp on a bed of polenta on my flight out of JFK - light, tasty and full of fresh flavours. $4 for a bottle of water is very steep though.
• Legroom: In the Premium cabin it was very generous with a seat pitch of 46in, which is larger than BA's short-haul business class at 30in. In economy, the seat pitch is 31-32in which is average compared to other airlines including BA and Virgin.
• Entertainment: I like the Android touchscreen system and the interactive map. It was very easy to use and there are options to play music, TV and movies as usual - the selection was a little limited but there's definitely enough to keep you entertained for seven hours.
• Extras: A bottle of water costs $4 (£2.55) and a small sandwich $11 (£7), which I found very steep. An advance fee of $55 (£35) per leg gets economy passengers a meal with drink, checked-in baggage and a seat reservation. Earbuds cost $3 (£1.90), a blanket $5 (£3) and a full amenity kit including toothpaste and a toothbrush is $20 (£13).
• Price: With flexible dates and advance booking, you'll get a great deal that undercuts the competition by up to half. A flight booked at short notice might turn out to be more expensive though, so do shop around. 

At 5ft 4in, legroom is rarely an issue for me, but there is no question that there was ample space for the tallest of passengers. And while the seats don't go totally flat, the seat-back went far enough for me to easily nod off, a foot-rest elevating my body into an almost-horizontal position. 

For those in economy, creature comforts can be ordered at an extra cost via the Android touchscreen at each seat - and you can pay by swiping your credit card.

Should you choose not to pre-order a meal, you can order drinks and snacks via the service too. 

While fairly pricey, it's a system that makes sense to my mind - especially on a red-eye when all I want to do is sleep. I'd rather have a cheaper ticket without drinks, dinner and headphones (I carry earbuds in my handbag in any case). What's more, I usually travel hand-luggage only. 

If you plan to booze your way across the Atlantic though, you might find yourself racking up quite a bill. 

The plane itself is impressive too. All Norwegian's transatlantic flights (routes also include LA and Fort Lauderdale, Florida) are on 787 Dreamliners - they boast huge windows with a 'sunglasses mode' in lieu of blinds, the cabin lighting is designed to ease the effects of jetlag and even the engines are quieter. 

 

 

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Spacious: The Premium cabin boasts a spacious 2-3-2 seat formation. While the seats don't go flat, the seat-back went far enough for me to easily nod off, a foot-rest elevating my body into an almost-horizontal position

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Stretching out: At 5ft 4in, legroom is rarely an issue for me, but there is no question that there was ample space for the tallest of passengers in the Premium seats

It is these Dreamliners, the company says, that allows it to charge less for tickets. The new planes use less fuel and this saving is passed onto the customer.

While my usual flight experience is an economy one, and I have not experienced Norwegian's economy class, this is not the most direct comparison. That said, new planes and pleasant staff make all the difference when crammed into the middle seat of a middle row. 

And though flight prices will always dictate my airline choice, I'd be tempted to pay extra for Norwegian's Premium cabin if it was particularly important that I sleep during the flight.  

It is no wonder that the airline is racking up awards: This year Norwegian was voted the airline offering Best Value for Money by SkyScanner and Best Low-Cost Airline in Europe by SkyTrax. 

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Creature comforts: Blankets and headphones can be ordered at a cost via the Android touchscreen at your seat - and you don't need cabin crew to make a purchase - the screen has a facility to swipe your credit card

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Time-killer: The touchscreen also boasts an interactive map that even allows you to check out the pilot's view

Passenger numbers are on the up, too - Norwegian carried over 2 million passengers in September, an increase of 16 per cent compared to the same month the previous year.

But Norwegian is not always the cheapest. Both BA and Virgin undercut its prices when I was booking my Christmas flight home last week - you'll save if you plan your trip in advance, but not if it is last minute.

Additionally, it does not fly every day - just Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays - which can be quite limiting if your dates are fixed. 

But with departures from Gatwick doubling next year to six flights per week, the established transatlantic airlines have some serious competition on their hands.

Perhaps my friend and I will be finding ourselves travelling side-by-side in a Norwegian cabin in the not-too-distant future

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-2777132/What-REALLY-fly-London-New-York-150-Norwegian-s-budget-transatlantic-flights-test.html#ixzz3KubmK1Bm
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