Norwegian, a low-cost carrier based in Oslo, asked the government to withdraw overflight rights from all Russian airlines in response to Russia’s decision not to open its airspace to the company, according to newspaper Dagens Naringsliv.
The carrier received a formal answer from Russia in late January. It now urges the Norwegian authorities to respond in kind, turning a blind eye to the fact that other Scandinavian airlines, including region's flagship carrier SAS, are allowed to make overflights in Russian airspace.
Bjørn Kjos, Norwegian's CEO, called it responding to force with force, according to the newspaper.
The low-cost carrier estimated that it would lose 11.5 million euros if forced to reroute its flights to Asia.