Wi-Fi is available across all Norwegian routes, short-haul and long-haul, for the entire duration of the flight, from pushback to arrival.

Previously, passengers had had to wait for the aircraft to reach 10,000 feet before Wi-Fi was activated.

“We know how important it is for our passengers to have internet access,” said Kurt Simonsen, chief customer and digital officer.

“Until recently, flights were hour-long black holes when it comes to internet coverage. Now, Norwegian makes it possible to be online from the moment you board the aircraft.

“We launched free Wi-Fi onboard in 2011 and millions of passengers have been surfing the internet onboard, so are looking very much forward to offering the new gate-to-gate experience.”

Norwegian offers basic free Wi-Fi for web browsing and social media, and a premium high-speed connection for streaming.

The airline expects to have rolled out Wi-Fi to half of its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft by 2020.