Where should Norwegian HQ move to in its steps to Low Cost
Now when we have argued that an airline should be based near an airport to not only remember what its all about but also have some commonality so that management can be closer to the action, and office space can be co-used with operational staff, where would Norwegian with time move to.
We have already established that Oslo Fornebu closed years ago as an airport and since all the land is sold off for building offices and housing it is not coming back. This means that Norwegian's current office has become so city center near that its prime real estate, and in the expensive Oslo southwest as well so a quick property developer financed buy and flip makes sense, leaving money over for somewhere else.
The most likely new location would be somewhere near the OSL Oslo Airport. That is after all Norwegian's main base, where they retracted to for the pandemic lockdown, and where their headoffice management and staff have to go anyway if they want to travel anywhere within its network. Currently its 35 minutes by train or at least an hour by car from their HQ. However the OSL layout is more for airport expansion than related services that don't need direct airside access but should be close by. We are thinking Ryanair at Dublin here, where its original office was 10 minutes walk from the terminal and 5 minutes walk from its airside hangar, and crew could assemble at the office and drive directly to the planes. They still use it for that purpose even though the management and most of the admin staff have moved a litle further, about 5 minute drive, away.
If such a location exists at OSL or it could be built involving a deal with aforementioned developer is an option well worth considered.
Another tempting option for Norwegian could be Rygge ariport that could be completely designed around Norwegian's needs since it is now unused and closed. It would need to be reopened as a reasonably busy airport to reconnect with regular communications. However it would be very good for serving the eastern part of Oslo and all the way to the swedish border, and a good bit into Sweden if the right flights where laid on. Thinking sun hollidays and even transatlantic here.
Both these alternatives would result in being closer to more reasonably priced areas for housing for staff. Oslo southwest is the priciest parts near Oslo and must have an influx on what wages are expected. Lets face it a lot of office staffs wages goes to pay for somewhere to live. Sure some won't like the relocation but there ain't many alternative airlines to work for in Oslo. After all SAS reduced their country head office to only about 100 staff. And if they don't want to move to another part of greater Oslo they certainly wont go abroad. So they who have their experience from within the airline industry will proably move with the company. And they who don't and can work wherever, well they are just learning on the job anyway and one would definately question their loyalty and commitment. If some left new hires could be taken in at a lower salary level based on being in a more affordable location and more in line with a pure Low Cost airline.
With time and as Norwegian is split in home market and intercontinental parts, it could be natural to split HQ also and then move the non Scandinavian centered part to a different jurisdiction alltogether.
We have already established that Oslo Fornebu closed years ago as an airport and since all the land is sold off for building offices and housing it is not coming back. This means that Norwegian's current office has become so city center near that its prime real estate, and in the expensive Oslo southwest as well so a quick property developer financed buy and flip makes sense, leaving money over for somewhere else.
The most likely new location would be somewhere near the OSL Oslo Airport. That is after all Norwegian's main base, where they retracted to for the pandemic lockdown, and where their headoffice management and staff have to go anyway if they want to travel anywhere within its network. Currently its 35 minutes by train or at least an hour by car from their HQ. However the OSL layout is more for airport expansion than related services that don't need direct airside access but should be close by. We are thinking Ryanair at Dublin here, where its original office was 10 minutes walk from the terminal and 5 minutes walk from its airside hangar, and crew could assemble at the office and drive directly to the planes. They still use it for that purpose even though the management and most of the admin staff have moved a litle further, about 5 minute drive, away.
If such a location exists at OSL or it could be built involving a deal with aforementioned developer is an option well worth considered.
Another tempting option for Norwegian could be Rygge ariport that could be completely designed around Norwegian's needs since it is now unused and closed. It would need to be reopened as a reasonably busy airport to reconnect with regular communications. However it would be very good for serving the eastern part of Oslo and all the way to the swedish border, and a good bit into Sweden if the right flights where laid on. Thinking sun hollidays and even transatlantic here.
Both these alternatives would result in being closer to more reasonably priced areas for housing for staff. Oslo southwest is the priciest parts near Oslo and must have an influx on what wages are expected. Lets face it a lot of office staffs wages goes to pay for somewhere to live. Sure some won't like the relocation but there ain't many alternative airlines to work for in Oslo. After all SAS reduced their country head office to only about 100 staff. And if they don't want to move to another part of greater Oslo they certainly wont go abroad. So they who have their experience from within the airline industry will proably move with the company. And they who don't and can work wherever, well they are just learning on the job anyway and one would definately question their loyalty and commitment. If some left new hires could be taken in at a lower salary level based on being in a more affordable location and more in line with a pure Low Cost airline.
With time and as Norwegian is split in home market and intercontinental parts, it could be natural to split HQ also and then move the non Scandinavian centered part to a different jurisdiction alltogether.
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