Sunclass Airlines: From the Thomas Cook Brand to a Possible Move to Norwegian

A history of successive renamings

The most recent ownership change dates to 2019, when the Thomas Cook travel group collapsed globally and the Scandinavian operations were taken over by a consortium led by Norwegian entrepreneur Petter Stordalen together with the funds Altor, Strawberry Group and TDR Capital, creating today's Nordic Leisure Travel Group. In June 2026 Norwegian Air Shuttle announced its intention to acquire the entire group, a deal that, if completed, would further change Sunclass's ownership structure.

A fleet geared to long haul

The fleet counts 12 aircraft: 6 Airbus A321s, 3 A321neos and 3 A330-900neos, the latter dedicated to long-haul routes to the Caribbean and other intercontinental destinations sold together with vacation packages. Another 9 aircraft are on order, a sign of a fleet that is expanding despite corporate uncertainty.

A network built entirely on leisure

Almost all routes link Nordic cities with the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands in high season, with the addition of long-haul routes sold mainly through tour operators rather than as individual tickets. It is a model similar to that of other big European charter carriers, but with an almost exclusively Scandinavian customer base.

What passengers say

Most appreciated points:

• Convenience of direct long-haul flights from Nordic cities to the Caribbean, with no intermediate stop.
• A330-900neo cabin described as modern and quiet.

Most criticized points:

• Perceived uncertainty tied to the continual changes of ownership and brand over the years.
• Onboard service reduced to the essentials, typical of the charter model.

Sunclass is useful for those who buy a vacation package from a Nordic tour operator to the Mediterranean or the Caribbean with a direct long-haul flight, less so for those who want to buy only the flight without the rest of the package, often harder or more expensive to do separately.

Before booking, check under which brand the package is sold: with the Norwegian deal still in progress, the name and commercial terms could change in the coming months.