Norwegian to Offer Complimentary Wi-Fi on All Routes

Here's something you probably didn't expect to hear: Norwegian (a low-cost carrier) will be the first to offer passengers complimentary Wi-Fi on its transatlantic routes. A Norwegian spokesperson confirmed that the carrier plans to offer free connection for all passengers, regardless of class of service, within one year on both its Boeing 787 Dreamliners and MAX 8 aircraft.

Once Wi-Fi technology has been installed on its aircraft that are operating transatlantic routes, Norwegian will be the first low-cost carrier to offer this perk for free on long-haul routes. Other carriers, such as legacy US carriers, British Airways and more offer Wi-Fi, but at a cost to the passenger. The implementation of the complimentary connection would be huge for Norwegian in helping to separate its in-flight experience from that of the competition.

What makes this decision particularly interesting is that because Norwegian is a low-cost carrier, travelers are required to pay for essentially everything else. Unlike its legacy counterparts, Norwegian flyers must pay for baggage, meals on board and seat selection. So, giving something such as Wi-Fi for free to passengers is a bit unexpected — let alone being the only low-cost carrier to offer it on its long-haul routes.

Norwegian already offers passengers free Wi-Fi on most of its flights within Europe and on its flights between the US and Caribbean. The airline currently serves many cities in Europe from Boston (BOS), Chicago (ORD), Hartford (BDL), Denver (DEN), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Orlando (MCO), Las Vegas (LAS), Los Angeles (LAX), New York (JFK), Newark (EWR), Newburgh (SWF), Oakland (OAK), Providence (PVD) and Seattle (SEA). In addition, it just recently announced that it's set to begin new transatlantic service from Austin (AUS) and Chicago (ORD).