Norwegian and Virgin Atlantic Sign Deal on Drealiner for Both Airlines to Benefit with Training and Safety Experience

Norwegian Long Haul and Virgin Atlantic have entered into a memorandum of understanding, according to BreakingTravelNews.com.

The agreement will enable Norwegian to make use of Virgin Atlantic's expertise on long-haul flight operations, while Virgin Atlantic's instructors will receive pilot training onboard Norwegian's brand new 787-8 Dreamliner, in return.

Norwegian Airlines will be introducing their first Dreamliner at the end of June.

The cooperation will enable Norwegian's long-haul pilots to make use of the vast experience Virgin Atlantic has with long-haul flights.

Virgin Atlantic will make all of its training materials available to Norwegian airlines as part of the agreement. Simultaneously, the instructors for Virgin Atlantic's 787 planes will conduct the final part of their pilot training on board the Norwegian Dreamliners. The most experienced instructors with Virgin Atlantic will continue flying on board Norwegian's aircraft until the Virgin Atlantic receives its first 787 Dreamliner in September 2014, approximately a year after Norwegian's first Dreamliner.

"Introducing a new aircraft type to an airline is an extensive affair," Torstein Hoas, the director of flight operations for Norwegian Long Haul, said. "It is therefore important that we learn from each other.

"Virgin Atlantic is a successful long-haul airline with almost 30 years of Trans-Atlantic Experience," Hoas continued. "It will be very beneficial for us to receive this support.

"At the same time, we are looking forward to helping Virgin Atlantic introduce the 787 Dreamliner to its fleet," Hoas added. "The cooperation will be a great advantage to both parties."

Virgin Atlantic will be the first European airline to launch the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which is a slightly bigger version of the 787-8 Dreamliner that Norwegian airlines will be launching this summer.

As part of the agreement between the two airline companies, Virgin Atlantic will train a number of Norwegian pilots on board its future Dreamliners, giving them experience on board the larger aircraft.

"Virgin Atlantic are delighted to announce our training partnership with Norwegian," Captain Dave Kistruck, the general manager of flight operations for Virgin Atlantic, announced. "Our combined experience is being effectively utilized to ensure the safe and efficient introduction of the Boeing 787 aircraft to our fleet.

"We have much in common with Norwegian, having similar high quality training requirements, which has allowed our partnership to take shape," he added.