The head of budget airline Norwegian has revealed plans to join forces with the likes of Ryanair and easyJet, in a bid to create a powerful “low-cost alliance”. The partnership would aim to challenge the long-haul routes of full-service airlines – such as British Airways or Emirates – with lower ticket prices and links to more regional airports. In time, it could make inroads into other markets in Asia, the US and the Middle East.
The collaboration would be a momentous U-turn for the rival airlines, usually fighting for business in an increasingly competitive marketplace.


Bjørn Kjos, founder and chief executive of Norwegian, told CNN Money that he hoped to formalise a partnership with Ryanair before the end of this year. “If we can do it with Ryanair, we can cover lots of routes,” he said. “We should definitely like to do it with EasyJet as well.”
A spokesperson from Ryanair confirmed that the airline is currently in negotiations with Norwegian. “We are speaking to a number of airlines concerning feeding their long haul flights, and we are in advanced talks with Aer Lingus and Norwegian. It’s a logical move and a very attractive proposition for long haul carriers.”
A partnership would enable passengers to buy connecting flights across participating airlines’ networks, without the need to book separate tickets. It would also enable budget carriers to compete with bigger flagship airlines, driving down the cost of long-haul travel.