Name: Bjørn Kjos
Title: CEO
Company, city: Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA; Oslo, Norway
Number of employees: 3,000
Recent project: Establishing operational bases in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria; London; and Alicante, Spain
First job: I served in the military Special Forces and later worked as an Air Force pilot.
Little-known fact about you: In 2007 I published a spy thriller, The Murmansk Affair.
Your Business
Essential business philosophy: To succeed you must secure a competitive edge.
Best way to keep a competitive edge: Maintain an aggressive, proactive approach and stay in attack mode.
Yardstick of success: Have I helped create a safe, stimulating and rewarding workplace?
Bjørn Kjos as a Traveler
What is the most important item you take when traveling? I travel light. Lately my iPad is probably the most important item I carry.
How do you spend your time on board? I enjoy talking with the crew and making short visits to the cockpit.
What is your favorite restaurant in the world? Wedholms Fisk in Sweden.
What is your favorite destination in the world? Barcelona.
About Norwegian Air Shuttle
What can travelers expect from Norwegian Air Shuttle? We are launching nonstop service from Oslo and Stockholm to New York City and Bangkok in late May and early June. New York is one of my favorite cities — it offers so much — and it is a destination many Scandinavians want to visit. At the same time, Stockholm serves as a convenient gateway to the East for North American travelers. Our goal is to provide comfortable, affordable flights that connect these traveler groups efficiently.
Our premium-economy product is designed to be more affordable than competing options without compromising comfort on long-haul transatlantic routes. The cabin will feature 37 premium-economy seats with generous width and 46 inches of legroom in a distinctive configuration. Passengers can pre-order meals, check up to two bags without fees, and enjoy personal entertainment screens at every seat.
Your new service was set to debut on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. How will the Dreamliner battery issues affect the launch? Our first Dreamliner was due for delivery last month, but when a potential delay was reported we prepared a responsible contingency plan. We arranged a lease agreement with HiFly for two Airbus A340-300 aircraft to ensure we can launch the routes on schedule if necessary. Those aircraft will operate the routes until we receive our Dreamliners. Passengers booked on Dreamliner-operated flights can either move their journey to an earlier flight or request a refund; all affected customers will receive direct communication from Norwegian with details about their bookings.
What is the most challenging aspect of your launch in North America? Beyond the aircraft delivery uncertainties, the main challenge is offering services and value that other carriers do not. We aim to offer free WiFi to all passengers and consistently low fares while giving travelers real choice over which extras they pay for. Balancing affordability with a comfortable, flexible experience for passengers is central to our approach as we expand in North America.