New York City to Oslo for only $150 round trip! If your first reaction to that is, “Great price, but I’m sure I’ll get what I pay for” you think like me. For years, I have frowned upon discount airlines for fear of the unknown. I would rather pay a few extra bucks to know that my flight will arrive on time, in one piece, my luggage will get there safely, and the ride would be somewhat uneventful.
FAST AND AFFORDABLE
Little did I know that Norwegian Air is not only cheap, it is even better than many of the well known brands in the airline industry. I flew the brand new 787-9 Dreamliner from New York to London in only 5 hours earlier this month! The flight was so quite and smooth that I didn’t even realize when it took off. Normally, I have to wear ear plugs on the plane because of the loud noise, but not on the 787 Dreamliner. The 787-9 Dreamliner is a faster airplane that consumes less fuel. The best part is, Norwegian decided to pass the fuel cost savings to their consumers.
STRETCH YOUR LEGS
There are only two classes in Norwegian – economy and premium. The main difference between the two is the number of seats per row, allowing for extra room, as well as superior meal service. The Premium seat (there are only 5 rows) I was in, reclined enough to stretch my legs and each seat had its own charging area with USB and electric outlets. There was also a lot more room in overhead for carry on bags, so there’s no hassle of shoving your bags under the seat.
SAY NO TO JET LAGS
The interior of plane is designed to reduce jet lag and keep the air well circulated. Clever cabin lighting system changes with the time zone. Electro chromatic window system allows each passenger to control how much light they want to come in. If you wish to take a nap, you can block the sun out completely and make the window appear dark. The viewing area is also 65% more than other planes.
FLAT AND TOUCH SCREENS
Norwegian claims to have state of the art entertainment system, which is somewhat true. Flat screen televisions are touch screen enabled, though the selection of movies and games is very limited. Most other airlines now offer hundreds of hours of inflight entertainment, which also includes many foreign features.
HEALTHY MEALS
Food on the flight was decent. I had the vegetarian section which included salad, fruit, rice cracker, and pasta with vegetables. Fresh and healthy, unlike most airplane food that is overloaded with carbs and cheese. Why do you need so many calories when you are not moving about?
There was red and white wine as well, though only one kind each. You need to pre order your food in short haul economy. Snacks were also available for purchase (Visa and MasterCard only) and could be ordered through the tv monitor. 
The duty free selection was very limited, offering a few cosmetics and alcohol. The items were displayed on the entertainment system for a short duration of the flight.
FREE WIFI
Perhaps the biggest perk for 21st century travelers. The Norwegian flights within Europe offer free wifi to ALL passengers. I used it on the London-Helsinki leg and had no issues connecting with my iPhone and laptop.
NO FRILLS
Do you feel left out when you pass by the elite business section and trail your way into the back of the plane? Those who normally travel business or first class and look for ultra luxury may be a bit disappointed. There is no champagne on arrival or TUMI amenity kits. You can expect to get a cozy blanket and headphones – thats it. Equality (mostly) for everyone!
