Norwegian Air has changed its on-board practices and will now offer free water on its long-haul flights as well as accept cash for purchase of extras like blankets, food or other drinks. The airline will even allow passengers to cancel bookings at no charge to those who feel cheated that Norwegian’s on-board entertainment system isn’t yet in place.
Norwegian chief executive Bjørn Kjos, who has made a point of charging passengers for all “extras” in order to keep basic fares low, got tired of the harsh criticism directed at the airline by unhappy passengers who’ve flown on some of Norwegian’s first long-haul flights between Oslo and Bangkok and Oslo and New York. Apologies weren’t enough. Service will improve.
Norwegian dropped its policy of only accepting credit cards on board and everyone will be offered water on the flights that can last up to 12 hours. That means passengers won’t have to suffer like one woman from Thailand did, who endured the trip from Bangkok to Oslo with no food or water because her credit card didn’t work on board. Others have landed in the same position, and didn’t want to ask fellow passengers for help.
“We have delivered a product that doesn’t conform to what we want to be the norm,” Norwegian spokesman Lasse Sandaker-Nielsen told newspaper Aftenposten, which has been reporting on the passenger complaints. “Therefore we’ve listened to our customers and are changing our rules immediately, so that the flights can be a nice experience for our passengers.”
newsinenglish.no staff
