We flew NORSE ATLANTIC from Miami to Paris and back. This is how it went.

We flew NORSE ATLANTIC from Miami to Paris and back. This is how it went.

 

By Steven Skelley and Thomas Routzong

We flew NORSE ATLANTIC from Miami to Paris and back. Norse Atlantic Airways is a low-cost, long-haul airline. Their desire is that their Miami to Paris new direct route will provide an affordable and convenient travel option for passengers seeking to explore Paris for only $165 one-way including all taxes.

PictureWe are thrilled to connect yet another city in the US to Paris and Berlin, giving visitors the opportunity to visit these iconic locations," said Bjorn Tore Larsen, CEO of Norse Atlantic. "With the introduction of these new routes, Miami to Paris and Berlin, more travelers will now be able to experience these amazing destinations on both sides of the Atlantic.”

Flights from Miami (MIA) to Paris (CDG) operate up to four times a week and depart at 8:00 p.m. EST and arrive at 11:00 a.m. the following day local time. Flights depart Paris (CDG) at 1:50 p.m. local time, arriving at Miami (MIA) at 5:45 p.m. EST the same day. Fares in Economy start from $165 one-way. Premium seating is also offered. : Passengers can choose from a range of fares - Light, Classic and Flextra. Light fares represent Norse’s value option while Flextra fares include the maximum baggage allowance, two meal services, an enhanced airport and onboard experience, and increased ticket flexibility.

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We chose Norse Premium for our flights. There are seven seats in each of the eight rows in Premium. Each seat has a personal, video touch screen with a variety for complimentary entertainment options. The comfortable seats have 43 inch seat pitch and 12 inch recline. We chose Row One seats so that passengers fully-reclining in front of us wouldn’t be an issue.  We enjoyed more leg room than any flight in recent memory. 

Beverages were served before take-off. Two complimentary meals were served in-flight. We were very impressed with the flight crew. Service was exemplary.

If we had to list any concerns with our Norse experience, it would be at the Paris end. In Miami, the plane is boarded via a Jetway/Loading bridge.

In Paris, passengers must descend a movable stairway to deboard and climb the stairway to board the plane. To get from the gate to the plane or from the plane to the gate, passengers must walk from the stairway to a bus or from the bus to the stairway. The step into the bus is about 18 inches making it a challenge for passengers with mobility issues. Passengers stand in the bus as if they were in a subway.

Premium seating includes Premium boarding. We didn’t see this in use. Once all the Premium passengers are loaded onto the bus, all the Economy passengers board the same bus. Therefore, the Premium passengers were now in back of all the Economy passengers on the bus. Once the bus arrived at the stairway up to the plane, it was basically a free-for-all to get off the bus and onto the plane. The last Economy passengers to board the bus became the first passengers to board the plane. Since Tom had a mobility disability at the time, we couldn’t fight the crowd to get off the bus until nearly the end when a family kindly waited for me to assist Tom off the bus.

Our Conclusion and Advice:

The NORSE ATLANTIC Miami to Paris new direct route provides an affordable and convenient travel option for passengers seeking to explore Paris at only $165 one-way including all taxes. It is well worth the added expense of upgrading to Premium seating. The boarding and deboarding in Miami is much better due to the use of its Jetway/Loading bridge. The Paris use of a movable stairway and bus is challenging and makes Premium boarding useless. When returning to Miami, if you have mobility issues, request a wheelchair. It is a long way to Passport Processing and a long wait in queues once you get there. We enjoyed our Norse Atlantic experience and any time in Paris is a terrific time. We hope to enjoy more Norse Atlantic flights to London, Rome, Oslo, Berlin and Athens!

​To book and for more information on Norse Atlantic, please visit www.flynorse.com