Norse Atlantic Airways Customer Service Concerns Raised in FTC Complaints
A WIRED investigation into Norse Atlantic Airways, based on a personal experience and Federal Trade Commission complaints, reports that the airline’s reliance on AI customer service has left passengers struggling to reach human representatives, leading some to fall victim to online scams. The article states that after the author’s flights were canceled, the refund page wouldn’t load and emails went unanswered. A public records request with the FTC yielded around 75 detailed complaints from customers. Of 41 complaints that reported a dollar figure, 21 claimed losses exceeding $1,000. Eighteen complaints explicitly stated that customers were scammed after searching online for Norse’s phone number and finding fraudulent websites. The airline’s official website includes a warning about online scams and fraud. Norse’s chief customer officer stated that technology helps maintain low fares, and the company has used AI chatbots named Odin and later Freya to handle inquiries. The airline recently cut its administrative staff by 35% and is considering a sale or merger.
What’s reported
The author’s $940 round-trip flights to Rome were canceled on March 31, and the refund request page did not load on two browsers across three devices.
The author filed an FTC public records request and received around 75 customer complaints about Norse.
Of 41 complaints with a dollar figure, 21 reported losing more than $1,000.
Eighteen complaints said customers were scammed after searching online for Norse’s phone number.
The airline’s website now includes a warning about online scams and fraud.
WIRED found that Google searches for “Norse Atlantic airways phone number” returned phone numbers that appeared to be scams; when called, the numbers claimed affiliation with Star Alliance and a nonexistent service.
Norse used an AI chatbot called Odin, then later replaced it with Freya; Delight.ai stated that no-human-intervention resolution rose from 60% to 80% within two weeks of Freya’s introduction.
Norse cut administrative staff by 35% in early May and its CEO said the airline is considering a sale or merger.
Open questions
How widespread the scams are relative to total Norse passengers is not specified.
Whether Norse’s AI agents are able to resolve refund or change requests for all customers is not confirmed.
Key figures
Bård Nordhagen – Norse chief customer and communications officer
Alf Lim – Norse chief product officer
Bjørn Tore Larsen – former Norse CEO (as of 2024 earnings call)
Eivind Roald – current Norse CEO (as of May 2026)
Erie Meyer – senior fellow at the Center for Law and the Economy, former chief technologist at FTC and CFPB
Star Alliance (representative confirmed number not associated)
Fake representatives claiming to be from “Flight Travel Portal”
Sources: Wired
