Austin airport loses 2 nonstop flights to well-liked European towns

Norwegian Air is abandoning all of its lengthy-haul flights, which means Austin has missing its only nonstop route to Paris — which never basically took off — and a nonstop route to London.

“Due to the impression of the COVID-19 pandemic on the aviation sector, which includes ongoing vacation limits and switching federal government tips, Norwegian has produced the challenging determination to discontinue the operation of its prolonged-haul flights,” Norwegian says in a January 14 electronic mail to prospects.

In a news launch, the economically troubled airline suggests operating a lengthy-haul community is no more time a feasible choice. Norwegian will now target on limited-haul flights in Europe.

The very low-value airline suggests it is issuing refunds to tourists with tickets influenced by the January 14 announcement.

With a great deal fanfare, Norwegian announced in October 2019 that it would launch nonstop flights involving Austin-Bergstrom Worldwide Airport and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. The a few-working day-a-7 days flights ended up intended to get started in Could 2020. Nevertheless, the pandemic prevented Norwegian from ever obtaining all those flights off the ground.

Norwegian would have been the only airline providing nonstop provider concerning Austin and Paris.

In March 2018, Norwegian started nonstop assistance amongst Austin and London’s Gatwick Airport. All those flights were being halted just after the COVID-19 outbreak was declared a pandemic very last March. British Airways now is the only airline providing nonstop flights amongst Austin and London, despite the fact that the airline’s company to Heathrow Airport has been quickly suspended.

A agent of the Austin airport could not instantly be attained for comment.