Barcelona enters battle for low-cost, long-haul routes as transatlantic flights begin

Barcelona

THE battle is on in Barcelona, Spain's popular mediterranean city where two airlines have started competing for passengers in the emerging trend of low-cost, long-haul flights.

The first flight operated by Level - a new carrier created by IAG, the parent company of British Airways and Spain's Iberia - took off on Thursday from El Prat airport for Los Angeles.

The airline also flies to San Francisco, Buenos Aires and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.

Meanwhile, Norwegian, a pioneer in cheap, long-distance flights, begins Monday flights to New York, Los Angeles, Miami and San Francisco.

The air…