Norway Airlines

Norway Airlines
Founded	2 April 1987
Commenced operations	February 1988
Ceased operations	15 October 1992
Operating bases	Stavanger Airport, Sola; Oslo Airport, Fornebu
Fleet size	2
Destinations	2
Headquarters	Tananger, later Fornebu, Norway

Norway Airlines A/S was a Norwegian airline which operated between 1988 and 1992. Focusing on charter, the airline operated two Boeing 737-300 aircraft from 1988 to 1992, after which it operated two McDonnell Douglas MD-80 aircraft, one MD-83 and one MD-87. The airline flew a single scheduled route, between Oslo Airport, Fornebu and London Gatwick Airport, at first on contract with Air Europe and from 1991 at its own expense. At its peak, Norway Airlines had 196 employees. The company struggled financially and lost more than 100 million Norwegian krone (NOK) before terminating operations, having never made a profit.

The airline was established by Trøndelag-based investors on 2 April 1987, having been originally intended to operate charter flights to the Mediterranean area. Ansett Australia was an early investor, but soon sold out. The company suffered with its main contractor, Sun Tours, going bankrupt in 1988, after which the airline moved to the British charter market. Air Europe's holding company bought a third of Norway Airlines in October 1989; this allowed the Norwegian company to start flying Air Europe's route between Oslo and Gatwick as a wet lease operation, in addition to several international destinations from London. Air Europe went bankrupt in March 1991, causing Norway Airlines to temporarily halt operations.

Sterling Airways came in as a new strategic minority owner, and the two airlines started an alliance along with Transwede. Their key goal was to secure concessions to fly between the Scandinavian capital cities of Oslo, Stockholm and Copenhagen, but no permission was ever granted. Instead Norway Airlines started its own service between Oslo and London. Operations ceased on 14 October 1992 after the board had filed for bankruptcy.