Norwegian Airlines to start flights from London to Arctic Finland
British tourists will find it easier to get to Lapland this winter after Norwegian announced a new route from London Gatwick to Rovaniemi.
The first flight will run on 19 December, and there will be two services a week on Mondays and Fridays.
“Those travelling from London will now find it significantly easier to visit Santa’s home town of Rovaniemi, which is an exotic destination for Brits,” said Norwegian’s commercial director Thomas Ramdahl in a statement.
Boost for Arctic
The Lapland town includes ‘Santa’s grotto’, which includes a post office that handles letters addressed to Father Christmas. It is the biggest urban centre in Finnish Lapland, with a population of just over 60,000, and is located just 10 kilometres south of the Arctic Circle.
Norwegian currently runs daily services between Helsinki and London. In 2015 the firm says it carried nearly 26 million passengers worldwide.
Related stories from around the North:
Finland: Finnair descends into loss, Yle News
Greenland: Air Greenland nixes helicopter order , Eye on the Arctic
Norway: Charges after Norwegian plane threat, Radio Sweden
Russia: Risks as Russian military planes fly under the radar near Sweden, Radio Sweden
Sweden: Swedish passengers suing Norwegian over delayed flights, Radio Sweden
United States:World’s largest blimp headed for Alaska, Alaska Dispatch
