Norwegian long-haul but low-cost carrier Norse Atlantic Airways announced on Thursday that it was going to launch flights between London, in the UK, and Cape Town, during the Northern autumn/Southern spring later this year. The new service will start on October 28.

“We are thrilled to introduce our new route between London and Cape Town,” enthused Norse Atlantic founder and CEO Bjorn Tore Larsen. “By breaking the duopoly on this route, we are not only expanding travel options for consumers but also driving down costs and putting the customer back in the pilot’s seat. At Norse Atlantic Airways, we believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to experience the wonders of the world and our new route to Cape Town will allow many more people to visit this amazing destination.”

The flights will be operated from London Gatwick Airport three times a week – Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. The return flights from Cape Town to London will be operated on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. The flights from London will depart Gatwick at 20h00 (8:00 PM) and arrive in Cape Town at 09h30 the next morning. The return flights will depart just over two hours later, at 11h45, and land at Gatwick at 21h35 (9:35 PM) that same day, meaning that the flights from Cape Town will be day flights.

“We are proud to welcome another new route from Norse Atlantic, connecting passengers across London and the South East with Cape Town from October,” affirmed London Gatwick VP Aviation Department Stephanie Wear. “Norse has continued to grow at London Gatwick and provide excellent connectivity to a number of key markets across the USA. This new route to South Africa is great news not only for those looking for a fantastic holiday destination, but also for trade and inbound tourism.”

Norse Atlantic’s fleet is composed exclusively of Boeing 787 Dreamliners. These have cabins configured in two classes, denoted as economy and Norse premium. The carrier offers three fare options, designated light (described by the airline as the “value option”), classic, and flextra (which has the maximum baggage allowance and includes two meal services, as well as greater ticket flexibility).