Low-cost Norwegian airline Flyr has applied for a permit to operate non-scheduled charter and wet lease flights in and out of the US.
The application – made to the US Department of Transportation – follows an increasing number of requests from North American companies to operate charter and wet lease flights.
A wet lease would see Flyr provide aircraft and crew for other airlines.
Currently, Flyr – which is headquartered in Oslo – operates domestic internal flights in Norway and flies to numerous European holiday destinations.
“The shortage of aircraft and crew in the North American market increases the demand for charter and wet lease operations,” said Flyr chief executive Brede Huser.
“As Flyr can deliver an attractive product consisting of state-of-the-art aircraft and professional crews to many of the customers who have reached out to us over the past months, we will today apply for or a U.S. foreign air carrier permit so that we may offer non-scheduled charter and wet lease flight from November 2023,” he said.
To build a financially sustainable airline, Flyr is diversifying its production to meet seasonal demand and reduce risk. Consequently, the airline will in the winter season where demand in Europe is lower, utilise several of its aircraft and crew in other markets such as North America.
“Flyr is a modern, small and flexible airline, which can adapt quickly to market changes and demand. The opportunities we now see in North America secure revenue in the low season in Europe while it also gives some of our amazing pilots and cabin crew the opportunity to work in a different country during parts of the year,” said Mr Huser.
