ksu

Nothing at www.continental.com about this yet, but apparently OSL-EWR has been a success.

According to NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation; sorry, link in Norwegian only) Continental will increase the frequency OSL-EWR to weekly from March 1 '06, from winter's four flights per week (Nov 1 - Feb 28). This year daily flights started May 30, so CO will fly daily three extra months.

This will probably affect SK, as even fewer Norwegians are likely to choose SK transatlantically, at least those whose travel originates in Oslo. And of course the number of connections at EWR is very attractive for those travelling to other destinations beyond EWR. DL used to fly OSL (FBU) - JFK until the mid-nineties (inherited from Pan Am), but SK had a monopoly until they cancelled OSL - EWR after 9/11. Kudos to CO for having managed to pick up a market at fortress OSL!

craz

I dont think many Norwegians will pick CO over SK, I surely wouldnt and Im Plat with CO. Why? cause CO is using 757s, and even though Id have to conect in CPH Id rather do that and be on a SK A-330 ( just flew it on Thurs from CPH myself) then to be stuck YES stuck on a 757, especially in Coach but even in BF as theres no place to walk and strench. And for an 8 hr flight Id connect in CPH any and every time than be stuck on a 757.

And as for connecting onward it aint too bad as SK is apart of *A so its UAL from EWR

ksu

Well: I prefer SK as well (*G has something to do with it...) and I usually go to ORD for onward connections on UA. But the fact is that CO apparently manages quite well on a route that SAS dropped due to it not being profitable (flying 763s).

craz

wasnt thinking about ORD, for that matter theres also SEA & IAD, both of which are loaded with UAL flights. So really no need to fly into EWR on a 757 and continue anywhere else if lucky on a 757 or 737, and not an RJ.

heck Id rather connect in CPH or ARN and stay off a narrow body for as long as I can, if given the choice. Im sure others would prefer saving whatever amount of time they can by Not having to connect either via CPH or ARN.

I also wouldnt rule out CO doing a EWR-CPH. After all SK does have an ARN-EWR Daily flight and CO started up recently with its EWR-ARN, so CO going into CPH isnt a dead issue as long as it can fulfill its requirements whatever they maybe as ARN did.

PIT_Flyer

I agree. I'd take a widebody with a connection anyday over a narrowbody nonstop. While I do appreciate CO's ability to attract pax for their narrowbody service across the pond, I'd never do so in Y. Maybe in BF, but only maybe. In fact, all Skyteam BF flights yeild EQM, so I might as well fly a widebody across the pond, connecting in CPH or CDG or LGW/LHR, than a 757

SkyTeam777

Do Y pax have in seat video units on CO's 757s?

thezipper

Hehehe... nope... just those funky overhead dropdown units ever 3 rows or so

SkyTeam777

Is AirShow constantly playing? or theyre constantly being used for IFE, what a shame, I enjoy watching it.

rkkwan

This is an old thread. Don't think we need a new one, but does anybody read Norwegian?

http://www.aftenposten.no/reise/article2135136.ece

I think they're saying EWR-OSL is doing well, and CO's considering adding a flight or moving to the 767 (yeah... like they have plenty of them sitting around...).

Edit: Interesting poster in the picture. Using some online translation service, it means "Shortcut to America".

airlinepeps

There Starting to install Audio Video On Demand at every seat on there 757. There's one Aircraft so far and all 757 should be equipt my end of 2008

flyzabit

Try this:
The head of Continental Airlines in Norway, Tom Grundstad, wants to double the number of departures from Oslo to New York. “The route is popular, and we need the increased capacity. It can come from the summer ahead”, says Grundstand to the “Evening Post” (Oslo) newspaper
While the company now moves to increase from one to two daily round trips, it happens as a result of an ever growing traffic. When the direct route between Oslo and New York was established in 2004, it was with just 3 weekly flights in the winter timetable.
Since that time, the number of round trips has increased even more, and for the next winter timetable, it became a daily roundtrip both in summer and winter time. In high season, from June through August, it is favorable for increased capacity during that time.
Cheap Tickets:
The one plan is to put in a bigger “machine” than today’s Boeing 757 with 175 seats, to a Boeing 767 with 68 extra seats.
“This would give a wonderful increase. The best plan in the meantime is to go to two daily roundtrips with today’s 757-aircraft. This would give an even bigger capacity-search, and at the same time, open up increased sale of the cheapest tickets”, says Grundstad.
It will be the first tiem that an (airline) company has had so high a frequency between Oslo and the U.S.A.
Full All the Time:
The route today runs over 80% reserved (full) for this piece of Continental’s European traffic, and the company is especially pleased that the Business Traffic has risen so strongly. It means in practical terms that a Full Business Class cabin is seen on every single flight.
A new daily departure, according to Grundstad, would most likely be placed in late afternoon from Oslo, around 3-4pm. Today’s single roundtrip flight leaves from Gardermoen now at 11am.
It is Going Well:
Grundstad says that it has taken time to build up the route which they took over from SAS, which didn’t find it economically profitable. “Oslo – New York gives us today a nice profit. It functions as a market that we are now very proud of. American companies have in many ways not gotten a good word (reputation) in Euope. Routes are started and then are taken out again after a short time,” said Grundstad.
As a result of the positive example in the Norwegian market, the company has also opened routes from New York and Stockholm.

entropy

I wouldn't be surprised if they added a second flight a few days a week. But I really don't see a 767 going to anywhere within 757 range unless the J traffic is ridiculously strong.

maybe they could tag HEL on to a second flight and serve everyone up there...

GUWonder

The front of the plane seems to be doing better than the back of the plane quite often when I'm on these OSL-EWR 757s which I don't like.

It doesn't help my opinion of them that out of the SkyTeam airlines flying out of OSL only CO denies SkyTeam ElitePlus members lounge access -- the other SkyTeam airlines flying out of there have no issue with permitting lounge access to SkyTeam ElitePlus flyers regardless of ticketed class of service.

Lafayetteflyer

one so far

Lafayetteflyer

more coming