Showing posts with label Norwegian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Norwegian. Show all posts

06 March, 2024

The Norwegian Group had 1.5 million passengers in February

Norwegian ground crew member acting foolishly in front of engine.
In February, Norwegian had 1,281,212 passengers, while Widerøe had 257,826 passengers, totalling 1,539,038 passengers for the group. Norwegian increased its load factor to 86 percent in February, up 2 percentage points compared to the same period last year and close to the highest-ever load factor Norwegian has recorded for the month of February.

“We are delighted to once again publish strong traffic figures, demonstrating the continued trust and value our customers place on the Norwegian product and our colleagues. A load factor of 86 percent is close to the highest ever recorded for the month of February. Booking trends continue to be solid across all markets and many flights are selling out for the Easter holiday period. We are grateful for the increasing number of passengers that choose to fly Norwegian, and look forward to welcoming them on board," said Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian.



Norwegian had 1,281,212 passengers in February. The capacity (ASK) was 1,951 million seat kilometres, up 7 percent from the same period last year. Actual passenger traffic (RPK) was 1,676 million seat kilometres. In February, Norwegian operated an average of 68 aircraft with a regularity, meaning the share of scheduled flights taking place, of 99.4 percent. Punctuality, which is the share of flights departing within 15 minutes of scheduled time, was 81 percent.

Norwegian and Widerøe cooperation bearing fruits

16 February, 2024

Norwegian delivered a record strong operating profit of NOK 2,232 million for 2023

In January, Norwegian completed the acquisition of Widerøe, a regional carrier in Norway with a fleet of 48 aircraft, predominately turboprops. The acquisition of Widerøe will enable the linking of complementary route networks, create significant operational synergies, and provide Norwegian with additional diversification through Widerøe's substantial public service obligation (PSO) operations.
European airline Norwegian Air Shuttle has just released details of its fourth quarter and preliminary full-year results for 2023, which show the carrier achieved an operating profit of NOK 2,232 million, the highest in company history. 


The firm says its liquidity position improved to NOK 9.5 billion at year-end, which means shareholders will get a dividend of about 60 øre per share. 

For the full year of 2023, the operating margin was 9 percent, also a record high for the company. For the fourth quarter of 2023, the company delivered an operating profit (EBIT) of NOK 328 million. Profit before tax (EBT) amounted to NOK 1,804 million for the full-year of 2023 and NOK 208 million for the quarter. The Norwegian fleet comprised 87 aircraft at year-end, of which 20 aircraft were the latest 737 MAX 8 aircraft. 

“I am thrilled to announce that Norwegian achieved all-time high profits for 2023. Our loyal customer base continued to grow, and we are grateful for their trust in us. Colleagues across the entire company have worked tirelessly to ensure operational excellence, ranging from the planning of our network and services to everyday execution,” said Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian.

More passengers, higher load factor


Norwegian had 4.7 million passengers in the quarter, up from 4.6 million passengers in the fourth quarter of 2022. Production (ASK) was 7.1 billion seat kilometres, while passenger traffic (RPK) was 6.0 billion seat kilometres. Compared to the previous quarter, capacity was down 32 percent as the company reduced its production to match seasonally lower demand during the winter period. The quarterly load factor was 84.4 percent, up three percentage points from the same period the previous year.

Punctuality, share of flights departing on schedule, was 81.5 percent, down from 82.3 percent in the same period the previous year. While punctuality fell in December as winter weather condition impacted operational performance at key airports, the airline managed through relentless efforts to ensure that close to all passengers made it home for the festive period. Cirium, the global aviation consultancy named Norwegian Air Shuttle (DY) Europe's most on-time airline in October and the fifth most punctual airline for 2023. It also ranked the airline as Europe’s top performer on regularity.

Widerøe acquisition completed


In January, Norwegian completed the acquisition of Widerøe, a regional carrier in Norway with a fleet of 48 aircraft, predominately turboprops. The acquisition of Widerøe will enable the linking of complementary route networks, create significant operational synergies, and provide Norwegian with additional diversification through Widerøe's substantial public service obligation (PSO) operations.

13 February, 2024

Norwegian improves company score in global climate CDP ranking  


Norwegian is the largest Norwegian airline and one of Europe’s leading low-cost carriers. The company has around 4,500 employees and offers a comprehensive route network between Nordic countries and destinations in Europe. Since 2002, more than 300 million passengers have flown with Norwegian.
Norwegian improves and receives the highest possible score in several categories for its emission reduction initiatives in this year’s global climate ranking from the international organisation CDP. Norwegian receives an overall score B and the highest possible score in the categories for risk management processes, risk disclosure, and in reporting and verification of direct and indirect energy supply emissions (Scope 1 and 2).

The CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) is an environmental organisation for the global environmental disclosure system. The CDP publishes annual results for climate ranking. Norwegian’s strategy for reducing climate impact is measured in several categories and for 2023, the airline receives an overall score B, which is an improvement from last year. This is an important recognition to Norwegian’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“We have committed to ambitious targets and are actively taking measures to reduce the company’s climate impact. It is therefore both rewarding and motivating to see that the hard work we are doing, leads to improvement in more categories than before. This means a lot to us and confirms that our strategy is working,” said Anders Fagernæs, Vice President Sustainability at Norwegian.

Norwegian started disclosing its effort to tackle climate change through CDP in 2021 and has made considerable progress with positive results. Working with transparency via Carbon Disclosure Project is a central element in Norwegian’s response to the increasing demand for environmental transparency from investors, financial institutions, customers and policymakers.

“We have a strategy for reducing the company’s climate impact, and we believe that the most efficient tool in the nearby future is to increase the use of fossil-free fuels. Besides fossil-free fuels, fleet renewal and advanced weather systems for more fuel-efficient navigation, are additional measures with immediate emissions reduction. We believe that transparency, reporting and openness will make it easier for customers to make qualified choices,” said Fagernæs.


08 February, 2024

Bumper January for Norwegian..........1,138,621 passengers travel with the airline

Norwegian and Wideroe Crew welcome more and more passengers.
In January, the European budget carrier Norwegian Air Shuttle carried 1,138,621 passengers, securing a load factor of 83.1%.  The capacity (ASK) was 1,820 million seat kilometres, down 3 percent from the same period last year. Actual passenger traffic (RPK) was 1,512 million seat kilometres. In January, Norwegian operated an average of 63 aircraft with a regularity, meaning the share of scheduled flights taking place, of 99.0 percent. Punctuality was affected by the severe winter weather and the share of flights departing within 15 minutes of scheduled time was 76.7 percent.

“Our operations during the winter season are affected by seasonal weather and particular winter storms. I would like to give thanks to the tireless effort of our colleagues, who have ensured that our disruptions are kept to a minimum, to the benefit of our many customers,” said Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian.

Meanwhile, Norwegian's recent purchase - Widerøe welcomed 246,326 passengers during the month, taking the Norwegian Group's total number of passengers to 1,384,947.  

"For the first time, our traffic figures include those of Widerøe, and in total, Norwegian and Widerøe had 1.4 million passengers on board in the first month of the year. For Norwegian, it is very positive that the load factor increased by five percentage points compared to January last year. Demand to beach destinations continues to perform in the high-end of our expectations with many of our customers opting for some warmer Mediterranean weather," said Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian.



For 2024, Norwegian has hedged jet fuel corresponding to approximately 50% of projected consumption at levels close to current forward prices.

In December, the Norwegian Competition Authority approved Norwegian’s acquisition of Widerøe, and the transaction was completed 12 January. Work has already begun to ensure that organisations deliver on shared goals with the aim of delivering better overall customer offerings with seamless travel and increased travel options. One example involves the changing of Norwegian’s ground handling provider to Widerøe Ground Handling, which took effect from 1 February at many airports across Norway.

The above report on the monthly traffic numbers now also includes numbers from Widerøe which is attached on page two. Widerøe increased its production in January with 4 percent compared with the same period last year, while the number of passengers increased with 8 percent. The load factor was up 3 percentage points.

Many industry commentators are wondering what Norwegian's long-term strategy after the company recently invested in Norsk e-Fuel, which will establish what could be the world's first large-scale production facility for electrofuel. The fossil-free jet fuel will be produced at a plant in Mosjøen in Nordland. The partnership will give Norwegian early access to essential fossil-free aviation fuels.

22 January, 2024

Norwegian becomes co-owner of Norsk e-Fuel

Norwegian is now a shareholder in Norsk e-Fuel. The company will establish what could be the world's first large-scale production facility for electrofuel. The fossil-free jet fuel will be produced at a plant in Mosjøen in Nordland. The partnership will give Norwegian early access to essential fossil-free aviation fuels.

In 2023, Norwegian and Norsk e-Fuel signed a strategic partnership agreement to build the world's first large-scale production facility for electrofuel in Mosjøen, northern Norway. Electrofuel, often called e-fuel, is a fossil-free aviation fuel that can be used in today's aircraft. The partnership is an important milestone towards Norwegian's goal of reducing emission by 45 percent by 2030.

"This agreement marks the start of a pioneering partnership that will accelerate the transition to fossil-free fuels in aviation and give us access to a product that will be available in limited quantities. Increased production of this type of fuel is essential in the years to come if we are to succeed in the transition to more sustainable aviation. I am very pleased that we have the resources, expertise and technology to do this with Norsk e-Fuel in Norway, and that together we can contribute to the development of a new industry in Norway and create local jobs, said Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian.

06 January, 2024

Norwegian pilots happily taking more than 1.3 million people for a ride in December 2023.

In December, Norwegian had more than 1.3 million passengers and recorded a strong load factor of 83.6%, 6 percentage points higher than December 2022. Throughout 2023, Norwegian carried over 20 million passengers, a 16 percent increase from the previous year.

“With 1.3 million passengers in December, a total of more than 20 million passengers chose to travel with us in 2023. Our load factor has increased significantly from December 2022, and I am happy to see these solid results. It is also encouraging to see that the positive booking trend we saw through 2023 seems to continue into 2024. Our customers are now planning and booking their next travel adventure with many taking advantage of our New Year’s sale that was launched recently,” said Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian.

Norwegian had 1,308,441 passengers in December, close to the same number as in December 2022. The capacity (ASK) was 2,013 million seat kilometres, down five percent from the same period last year. Actual passenger traffic (RPK) was 1,684 million seat kilometres. In December, Norwegian operated an average of 65 aircraft with a regularity, meaning the share of scheduled flights taking place, of 99.5 percent. Punctuality was affected by the winter storm Pia and the share of flights departing within 15 minutes of scheduled time was 70.4 percent. However, 93 per cent of all departed flights arrived on schedule or within one hour of scheduled arrival time.

For 2023 as a whole, Norwegian had 20.6 million passengers, an increase of 16 percent from the previous year, the capacity was up by a total of 18 percent, while the load factor increased by 2 percentage points to 84.7percent.

07 December, 2023

1,348,111 passengers flew with Norwegian in November



Norwegian had 1.3 million passengers and a load factor of 82.3 percent in November. Norwegian is still experiencing robust demand for air travel. Regularity was record-high with 99.9 percent of all scheduled flights taking place.

“Norwegian has delivered very solid traffic numbers in a month where seasonal demand is normally at a low point. We have adjusted our capacity considerably to meet the fluctuating demand in the winter, and we are particularly satisfied with our strong load factor of 82.3 percent, up three percentage points from November last year. Additionally, we have delivered an outstanding performance when it comes to regularity with close to all of our almost 10,000 flights taking place in November,” said Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian. 

Norwegian had 1,348,111 passengers in November, down two percent from November 2022 and in line with the significantly reduced capacity to match the low season. The capacity (ASK) was 2,004 million seat kilometres, down six percent from the same period last year. Actual passenger traffic (RPK) was 1,650 million seat kilometres. In November, Norwegian operated an average of 66 aircraft with a regularity, share of scheduled flights taking place, of 99.9 percent. Punctuality remained high, and the share of flights departing within 15 minutes of scheduled time was 86.8 percent.

Continued strong demand and well-received summer programme


Norwegian recently released new routes for the summer season of 2024, including forty routes to new destinations. The summer programme release, as well as a recent sales campaign, has been very well received by Nordic travellers.

“At Norwegian, we continue to see strong demand for air travel. Many of our customers took advantage of our latest sales campaign to book their next journeys. Our newly launched summer programme has been well received, and we notice that travellers have already started to plan their flights for 2024, earlier than last year,” said Karlsen.

While the Christmas and New Years period will be a busy travel period in line with expectations, Norwegian is well positioned navigate the quieter winter trading season. In addition to capacity adjustments, the airline is comfortably hedged for jet fuel at attractive prices for the coming year.

15 November, 2023

Norwegian to launch 40 new routes for summer next year.

European budget airline Norwegian is to add a whole host of new routes to its schedule for summer next year the carrier confirmed this week. 

 A total of 40 new routes have been added to the programme with nine new routes from Norway, seventeen new routes from Denmark, nine from Sweden and two new routes from Finland. 

There will also be new point-to-point routes between Malaga-Munich, Alicante-Munich, Riga-Corfu, and Riga-Tivat in the summer schedule for next year which will mean Norwegian will be flying 332 routes to 123 destinations.  The new Munich-Malaga and Munich-Alicante routes will operate throughout the summer season, as will the routes Riga-Corfu and Riga-Tivat.

Magnus Thome Maursund, Chief Commercial Officer in Norwegian said:  “Launching these new routes expands our network and offers our customers more choice. From our bases in Europe, we are also starting new point-to-point routes. We are looking forward to a busy summer season and to welcoming our customers on board,”

Norwegian adds Basel, Lyon, Montpellier, Pristina, Zadar and Bari amongst other destinations to the summer programme. A new route between London Gatwick and Gothenburg will operate with four weekly flights from 2 May. The carrier expects to have a fleet of just over 90 aircraft for summer 2024. 

“Our exiting new destinations will take travellers to vibrant European cities and destinations with crystal clear waters and sandy beaches. Our job is to make sure we get our customers to where they want to go and that their journey is as pleasant and smooth as possible,” said Magnus Thome Maursund.


06 November, 2023

Norwegian carried more than two million passengers during October


Norwegian had 2.1 million passengers and a load factor of 86.1 percent in October. Air travel demand was particularly high during the Nordic autumn holidays when many travellers flew to destinations across Europe. Regularity was high with 99.4 percent of all scheduled flights taking place.

“We are very satisfied with October’s traffic figures. Many Nordic customers took advantage of the autumn holidays, prolonging the summer season with trips to our many popular city and beach destinations across Scandinavia and Europe. I am particularly happy to see that we have managed to reduce our CO2 emissions by four percent compared to the same period last year, thanks to flying more modern aircraft and using the latest technology when navigating in the air,” said Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian.

Norwegian had 2,066,296 passengers in October, up 10 percent from October 2022. The capacity (ASK) was 3,115 million seat kilometres, while actual passenger traffic (RPK) was 2,683 million seat kilometres. In October, Norwegian operated an average of 78 aircraft with a regularity, share of scheduled flights taking place, of 99.4 percent. Punctuality, the share of flights departing within 15 minutes of scheduled time, was at 85.0 percent in October. However, a total of 98 percent of all departed flights arrived on schedule or within one hour of scheduled arrival time.

Well prepared for winter season ahead


“We recently published our financial results for what has been one of the absolute strongest quarters in our 21-year history. We are well prepared for the quieter winter trading period with reduced capacity and favourable hedging position on fuel, among other actions. Our ticket sales for Christmas and New Year are solid, both domestically and to our European destinations, and I would like to thank the increasing number of Nordic travellers who choose to fly with us for leisure and business,” said Karlsen.

Norwegian recently signed an agreement with TUI, one of Europe’s leading charter travel operators, to operate flights on behalf of TUI from Norway, Sweden, and Denmark to destinations across Europe. And while current booking trends have slowed somewhat in line with seasonal fluctuations in demand, the ticket sales for the coming months remain encouraging, both for leisure and business travels.

02 November, 2023

Norwegian reports a profit of 2 billion ......



Norwegian is the largest Norwegian airline and one of Europe’s leading low-cost carriers. The company has around 4,500 employees and offers a comprehensive route network between Nordic countries and destinations in Europe. Since 2002, more than 300 million passengers have flown with Norwegian. The most important task has been to offer affordable plane tickets to all and to offer more freedom of choice along the journey.
Norwegian delivered a profit before tax (EBT) of NOK 2,050 million in the third quarter of 2023, the second-best quarterly result in the 21-year history of the company. Norwegian has had a very strong summer, both operationally and financially, and also delivered best-in-class on punctuality and regularity in Europe.

For the third quarter of 2023, Norwegian delivered an operating profit (EBIT) of NOK 2,170 million, corresponding to an EBIT margin of 25 percent. This is the highest operating profit in company history after the third quarter of 2019, when the fleet was about twice as large. Profit before tax (EBT) amounted to NOK 2,050 million. The liquidity position increased to NOK 9.4 billion, while the company also repaid the NAS13 bond as part of the ongoing process to ensure that the company has a capital structure fit-for-purpose. At quarter-end, Norwegian's fleet comprised 85 aircraft.

Norwegian had 6.5 million passengers in the quarter, up from 6.1 million passengers in the third quarter of 2022. Production (ASK) was 10.4 billion seat kilometres, while passenger traffic (RPK) was 9.1 billion seat kilometres. Production was up 20 percent from the previous quarter as Norwegian ramped up capacity into the summer, the busiest travel season of the year. The quarterly load factor was 87.4 percent, compared to 88.8 percent in the same period last year.

31 October, 2023

Norwegian to continue to supplement scheduled operation with charter flights for Tui

Norwegian and Tui sign agreement on charter flights


The budget airline Norwegian has agreed to continue to operate charter flights for Tui during the upcoming winter and summer seasons to supplement its scheduled service income. Norwegian will operate flights on behalf of Tui from Norway, Sweden and Denmark to European destinations.

“We enjoy great cooperation with Tui, and we are delighted to continue this into the coming winter and summer seasons. Tui is the largest charter operator and connects customers to many popular leisure destinations. As we continue to modernise our fleet, we are looking forward to welcoming many new customers onboard and making sure they have a brilliant start to their holidays”, said Magnus Thome Maursund, Chief Commercial Officer at Norwegian.

Tui is Norwegian’s largest charter customer. The newly signed agreement is valid through the coming winter and summer seasons and Norwegian will fly 70 % of Tui’s charter operations in the Norwegian market.

“We are happy to renew our partnership with Norwegian. Like Tui, Norwegian is an established operator with high trust among the travellers in Scandinavia. The airfare is an important part of the travel experience and of high priority for us in Tui, and feedback from our customers surveys show that Norwegian is doing an excellent job”, said Tommy Serban, Commercial Officer at TUI Nordic.

Norwegian will operate charter flights for Tui from several regional and main airports in Norway and Sweden as well as from Copenhagen in Denmark.

Norwegian is the largest airline in Norway and one of Europe’s leading low-cost carriers. The company has approximately 4,500 employees and offers a comprehensive route network within Norway, between Nordic countries and destinations throughout Europe.

27 October, 2023

Norwegian to buy enough fossil-free aviation fuel to fly 100 flights between Aalborg and Copenhagen


Norwegian is to purchase fossil-free aviation fuel to power the equivalent of 100 flights between Aalborg and Copenhagen. The initiative proves that reducing the climate footprint of Danish aviation is already possible today.

The Danish government announced its goal to have one “green domestic route” in Denmark by 2025. Norwegian, together with Aalborg Airport, are proving that operating flights with fossil-free aviation fuel, also known as SAF, on a large scale is already possible today.

Aircraft today are limited to a 50 percent blend of fossil-free fuel and conventional aviation fuel. Due to this limitation Norwegian has chosen to purchase the amount of fuel needed for the 100 flights with fossil-free fuel and to have it delivered to Aalborg Airport’s facilities. This allows Norwegian to introduce fossil-free aviation fuel on Denmark’s busiest domestic route between Aalborg and Copenhagen. The initiative is another step towards the airline’s ambition to reduce emissions by 45 per cent before 2030. Earlier this year Norwegian announced that the airline had partnered with Norsk e-Fuel to build the world’s first full-scale electro-fuel plant.

Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian, took part in the opening event at Aalborg Airport this week. “There has long been a focus on how domestic aviation in Denmark can make use of more sustainable aviation fuel, both in the short and long term. Our initiative to fly the equivalent of 100 fossil-free flights within Denmark is a strong demonstration that this is possible within the existing infrastructure today. However, in order to make fossil-free flights common practice by 2025, the availability of fossil-free aviation fuel needs to increase drastically from the limited amounts of fuel available today,” says Karlsen.

Aalborg Airport will receive its inaugural delivery of fossil-free fuel from DCC & Shell Aviation Denmark*. The consumption on the 100 flights equals a total of around 140 metric tons. The use of fossil-free fuel over the next two weeks corresponds to a reductions of Norwegian’s CO2 emission by up to 80 percent on the route between Aalborg and Copenhagen. Over the course of a year, Norwegian operates approximately 2,200 flights between Aalborg and Copenhagen, consuming around 3,000 metric tons of aviation fuel. If the equivalent amount of fossil-free aviation fuel were to be introduced on all flights over a year, carbon emissions would be reduced by close to 10,000 metric tons (from a life-cycle perspective).



Aalborg Airport will receive a direct supply of fossil-free fuel for the very first time as a result of the introduction of fossil-free aviation fuel on domestic flights between Aalborg and Copenhagen.

“Aalborg Airport is pleased that Norwegian has chosen us as a partner for this initiative. Sustainable aviation fuel is the future of all aviation. As an airport, we assist with the infrastructure in this project and expect that it can contribute to Denmark's first green domestic route also being set up from Aalborg Airport in 2025," says Niels Hemmingsen, Managing Director at Aalborg Airport.

Fossil-free aviation fuel – this is how it works

Fossil-free aviation fuels are also called Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF). These fuels are a more sustainable alternative to fossil-based jet fuel. SAF is currently produced from bio waste and residual products, such as used cooking oil and animal fat. In the future, PtX-based SAF (Power-to-X) is expected to be able to produce significantly larger quantities, and even more sustainably, by converting electricity from solar and wind power into liquid forms of energy.

DCC & Shell Aviation Denmark are delivering approximately 140 metric tons of fossil-free fuel which is then blended with conventional jet fuel in accordance with current SAF blending rules. This delivery of fossil-free jet fuel is stored within Aalborg airport’s central fuel infrastructure and will be used by all aircraft using the airport’s fuel services.

By purchasing SAF needed for 100 flights between Aalborg and Copenhagen, the consumption of fossil fuel and thus carbon emissions are reduced. This is the most efficient way to fulfill the Danish government’s wish for a sustainable domestic aviation route.

*DCC & Shell Aviation Denmark is a Shell licensee and uses Shell trade marks under licence. The views expressed in this release or statement are made by DCC & Shell Aviation Denmark, and are not made on behalf of, nor do they necessarily reflect the views of, any company in the Shell Group of Companies.

05 October, 2023

September was a good month for Norwegian with over 2 million people travelling with the budget airline.


In September, Norwegian had a passenger count of more than 2 million passengers. The regularity was 99.7 percent, the highest level since the pandemic.

“September was yet another good month for Norwegian. We had more than two million passengers, and our operational performance is again among the top airlines in Europe. Our recorded regularity is now at the strongest level in over 18 months, while our on-time performance also improves further. Our solid and efficient operations provide predictability for all customers that choose to fly Norwegian, either for leisure or business purposes,” said Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian.

Norwegian had 2,030,052 passengers in September, up 8 per cent from September 2022. The capacity (ASK) was 3,208 million seat kilometres, while actual passenger traffic (RPK) was 2,696 million seat kilometres. In September, Norwegian operated an average of 80 aircraft with a regularity, share of scheduled flights taking place, of 99.7 percent. The majority of the few flights that Norwegian didn’t operate were due to ATC issues at London Gatwick Airport and national strikes in Italy. Punctuality, the share of flights departing within 15 minutes of scheduled time, was at 84.6 percent in September.

“As we approach the winter season, we have adjusted our operations to align with the travel patterns in the quieter winter trading period. A clear and continued trend is that our destinations in southern Europe experience continued robust demand among people from the Nordics. In addition, a new trend this autumn is the rise in popularity of city breaks to eastern Europe in particular”, said Karlsen.

New routes and tickets for next summer launched

Earlier this month, Norwegian released the tickets for the summer 2024 programme. The summer schedule starts in the end of April and runs to the end of October and offers more routes and frequencies. Additional routes to new destinations will be announced in November.






06 September, 2023

2.1 million passengers travelled with Norwegian in August

Norwegian had 2.1 million passengers and a load factor of 85.2 percent in August. Regularity was particularly high with 99.6 percent of all scheduled flights taking place. 

During challenging circumstances, such as the high winds and floods caused by Storm Hans in Southern Norway, as well as the air traffic troubles in the UK, Norwegian made sure travellers reached their destinations as smoothly as possible.

“Our August traffic figures were good. As autumn approaches, we are happy to see customers continuing to book holidays to many of our popular destinations, and that business travellers have made a comeback after the summer. Our autumn sales campaign has been well received and the booking momentum for the months ahead continues to look positive,” said Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian.

Norwegian had 2,141,613 passengers in August, up 7 per cent from August 2022. The capacity (ASK) was 3,527 million seat kilometres, while actual passenger traffic (RPK) was 3,006 million seat kilometres. In August, Norwegian operated an average of 80 aircraft with a regularity, share of scheduled flights taking place, of 99.6 percent. Operations were impacted by the outage at National Air Traffic Services (NATS) in the UK on 28 August, causing heavy delays and 40 percent of this month’s cancellations. Punctuality was at 82.4 percent in August, the share of flights departing within 15 minutes of scheduled time. However, 98.0 per cent of all departed flights arrived on schedule or within one hour of scheduled arrival time, the highest level so far this year.

“Unforeseen events, such as Storm Hansin Scandinavia and air traffic control issues in the UK affected our operations this month. I am glad that we were able to set up additional flights between Oslo and Bergen as well as Trondheim. We also managed to offer alternative flights to all our passengers to and from the UK on the day following the air traffic issues”, said Karlsen.

Solid operations and positive booking momentum

25 August, 2023

Interesting results released from budget airline Norwegian.....

Norwegian reports strong results in the second quarter 2023

Norwegian delivered an operating profit (EBIT) of NOK 651 million in the second quarter, which was characterised by strong operational performance amidst ramping-up into the busy summer travel season. Furthermore, Norwegian and Strawberry’s new loyalty company today announced that Avida has been selected as the preferred financial partner. Together with Norwegian’s recently announced agreement to acquire Widerøe, these new partnerships will contribute to offering even better and seamless travel experiences.

For the second quarter of 2023, Norwegian delivered an operating profit (EBIT) of NOK 651 million. Profit before tax (EBT) amounted to NOK 538 million. The liquidity position improved through the quarter with cash and cash equivalents exceeding NOK 9.3 billion. At quarter-end, Norwegian's fleet comprised 81 aircraft.

High load factor and operational excellence


Norwegian had 5.6 million passengers in the quarter, up from 5.0 million passengers in the second quarter of 2022. Production (ASK) was 8.7 billion seat kilometres, while passenger traffic (RPK) was 7.3 billion seat kilometres. Production was up 44 percent from the previous quarter as Norwegian ramped up capacity ahead of the busy summer travel season. The quarterly load factor was 84.4 percent, up from 81.2 percent in the same period last year.

“This quarter has demonstrated our ability to ramp up capacity and deliver a superb operational performance to become one of the top airlines in Europe. These results have been made possible thanks to over 4,700 of our colleagues working tirelessly to ensure our passengers arrive at their destinations as smoothly as possible. By solely flying with our own aircraft and crew, we can deliver “the Norwegian way” to all our customers. Our seamless customer experience has made us one of the most loved airlines in the Nordics,” said Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian.

Punctuality, share of flights departing on schedule, was 81.5 percent in the quarter, up from 78.8 percent in the same period last year. Regularity, share of flights taking place, was 99.5 percent. Cirium, the global aviation consultancy, named Norwegian the most on-time European airline in May. In April, June, and July, Norwegian finished among the top three European airlines.

“The summer season of 2023 will be one of the best in our history, and I am happy that forward bookings remain strong with business travel returning and others planning their autumn holidays,” said Karlsen.

Sustainable growth through significant partnerships

04 August, 2023

Budget airline Norwegian carried more than 2.3 million passengers. during July

The budget airline, Norwegian carried 2.3 million passengers during the month of July and scored an impressive 92.4% load factor. 

According to Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian  "July was an outstanding month for Norwegian in terms of traffic figures. We have welcomed the highest number of passengers this year, over 100,000 more compared to July last year. Our colleagues in the air and on the ground have worked relentlessly to make sure our passengers reached their destinations safely, and as smoothly as possible, despite a few challenging situations across airports in Europe,”


Norwegian had 2,308,417 passengers in July, up 5 per cent from July 2022. The capacity (ASK) was 3,712 million seat kilometres, while actual passenger traffic (RPK) was 3,430 million seat kilometres. In July, Norwegian operated an average of 79 aircraft with a regularity, share of scheduled flights taking place, of 99.5%. Punctuality was at 73.2% in July, the share of flights departing within 15 minutes of the scheduled time. However, 95.3 per cent of all departed flights arrived on schedule or within one hour of the scheduled arrival time.

Solid booking momentum continues

The booking momentum remains promising and while July saw many last-minute bookings by Nordic travellers longing for sunnier destinations, this trend is continuing into August. In addition, booking rates for travels in September are strong.

“The unstable weather in the Nordics this summer has clearly impacted travel patterns, and we notice continued strong bookings throughout the month. I am very pleased to see that so many travellers choose to fly with us this summer, both domestically, within the Nordics and across Europe. I would like to thank all our colleagues for their contribution to taking care of our passengers during the busiest season of the year. Our solid operational performance has been helped by exclusively serving our customers with our own fleet of aircraft and crew,” said Karlsen.

Norwegian continues to offer an attractive route network throughout the Nordics and to European beach and city destinations throughout the late summer and autumn. Norwegian’s direct route between Tromsø and Copenhagen has been well received so far. Ticket sales opened in July and the route will operate as part of next winter’s schedule.

07 July, 2023

More then two million people flew with Norwegian in June


Norwegian, the largest Norwegian airline and one of Europe’s leading low-cost carriers saw passenger numbers reach over 2 million in June.  

The load factor was 86 percent. Booking numbers for the summer are positive, as is the outlook for air travel demand in August and September.


“I am pleased to see that we have welcomed the highest number of passengers on our planes so far this year. We are looking forward to meeting an even larger number of passengers onboard our planes in July, the busiest travel month of the year,” said Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian.

Norwegian had 2,026,413 passengers in June, up 5 per cent from June 2022. The capacity (ASK) was 3,130 million seat kilometres, while actual passenger traffic (RPK) was 2,686 million seat kilometres. In June, Norwegian operated an average of 78 aircraft with a regularity, share of scheduled flights taking place, of 99.6 percent. Punctuality was at 76.4 percent in June, the share of flights departing within 15 minutes of scheduled time. However, 95.5 per cent of all departed flights arrived on schedule or within one hour of scheduled arrival time.

06 July, 2023

Norwegian to buy Widerøe

Norwegian to buy Widerøe



Norwegian has entered into an agreement with WF Holding AS to acquire Widerøe, the major regional carrier in Norway. The agreement will provide customers with a broader route network and more choices. It will also contribute to securing local jobs in Norway. Widerøe will continue to exist as a separate company with its own brand, organisation and headquarters in Bodø.

Linking Widerøe’s wide-spanning regional route network with Norwegian’s attractive domestic and international routes, secures a customer offering with better connectivity and seamless end-to-end experience. Widerøe covers more than 40 small and medium-sized airports across Norway, in addition to a few larger airports in Europe, while Norwegian offers more than 300 routes to 114 destinations in the Nordics and in Europe.

Companies that complement each other


“This is a milestone in Norwegian aviation history. Our two airlines have existed side by side for many years and no one knows the aviation market in Norway better. With this transaction, we will now create a streamlined and more comprehensive offer for all customers, and we look forward to offering seamless travel across our entire route networks,” said Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian.

The two airlines have a very limited overlap on routes and complement each other well. Out of a total of 107 routes in Norway, out of which 85 are operated by Widerøe and 22 are operated by Norwegian, only five overlap and can all be operated with standard jet aircraft.

Norwegian aviation history


Widerøe is Norway’s oldest aviation group. The airline is headquartered in Bodø and has administrative offices in Oslo. Widerøe has a fleet of close to 50 aircraft and holds a market share of approximately 20 percent in the Norwegian domestic market, measured by the number of passengers.

27 June, 2023

Norwegian and Strawberry to establish shared “currency” for loyalty programmes

Norwegian and Strawberry are to establish a joint company that will provide a wider selection of services to the members of the companies’ respective loyalty programmes. The company will create a common loyalty currency and a platform where members can earn and use loyalty points across different programmes. The entity will be jointly owned by Norwegian and Strawberry, each retaining an equal ownership stake.

The digital loyalty currency will replace the loyalty point systems which are used by various loyalty programmes today. In this way, members who earn points at hotel stays can choose to use them to pay for airfares, or vice versa.

“We are developing our already popular loyalty programme, Norwegian Reward, by thinking outside the box and cooperating with new partners. I am very pleased to have found Strawberry as a partner and that by joining forces, we are developing a new platform which will give even more customers the opportunity to choose from a broader selection of services. We would also like to invite more partners to join this collaboration as we move forward,” said Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian.

06 June, 2023

1.9 million people travelled with Norwegian in May

Budget airline Norwegian carried a little over 1.9 million passengers during the month of May this year the firm announced this week. The Oslo-based airline also reported a load factor was 84% and on routes to popular holiday destinations, the load factor was even higher at 90%.   

“May was another solid month for Norwegian with passenger traffic. Many of our customers took advantage of the long weekends and holidays in May to travel to popular beach and city destinations across Europe. Our load factor on these flights was 90 percent,” said Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian.

Norwegian had 1,900,211 passengers in May, up 17 per cent from May 2022. The capacity (ASK) was 2,901 million seat kilometres, while actual passenger traffic (RPK) was 2,440 million seat kilometres. In May, Norwegian operated an average of 74 aircraft with a regularity, share of scheduled flights taking place, of 99.7 percent. Punctuality was at 84.9 percent in May, the share of flights departing within 15 minutes of scheduled time. These results were achieved despite ongoing air traffic control issues at Copenhagen airport, accounting for almost half of this month’s delays and cancellations.





Looking forward to a busy summer


In May, Norwegian received its last delivery of the latest generation Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft ahead of the summer. Out of a total aircraft fleet of 81, the fleet now comprises 13 of this modern and fuel-efficient aircraft, which demonstrates Norwegian’s commitment to reducing emissions by renewing its fleet.

“I am very pleased that we have taken delivery of all the planned new aircraft for the summer season, as well as welcoming many new colleagues onboard. This allows us to serve our customers on Norwegian planes and operated by Norwegian crew rather than sourcing capacity via wet leases. We encourage customers who need to travel on specific dates during the busiest weeks in July to book their tickets with us soon,” said Karlsen.

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