The Norwegian Group delivered an operating profit (EBIT) of NOK 593 million in the second quarter of 2024. The quarter was characterised by strong capacity and passenger growth, but also slightly lower demand impacting ticket prices. In the quarter, the company performed well operationally, with improved cost level and strong cash flow.
For the second quarter of 2024, the Norwegian Group had an operating profit (EBIT) of NOK 593 million, corresponding to an operating margin of 6.3 percent. Profit before tax (EBT) amounted to NOK 477 million for the quarter. The liquidity position improved to NOK 11.5 billion at the end of the quarter, up 1.1 billion from the previous quarter. The Norwegian fleet comprised 86 aircraft at quarter-end, of which 22 aircraft were the latest technology 737 MAX 8 aircraft. The Widerøe fleet comprised 49 aircraft.
“We have delivered good operations in the second quarter amidst a hectic ramp-up into the summer season, and I am glad that Norwegian in May once again was named Europe’s most punctual airline. Both Norwegian and Widerøe are delivering strong passenger growth. With an increasing number of routes, frequencies and destinations, we look forward to welcoming passengers on board,” said Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian.
In the second quarter, the Norwegian Group had 7.3 million passengers, of which 6.3 million were passengers of Norwegian and 1.0 million of Widerøe. Compared to the same period last year, the number of passengers increased by 680,000 and 122,000 for Norwegian and Widerøe respectively. For Norwegian, production (ASK) increased by 19 percent to 10.3 billion seat kilometres, while for Widerøe the production increased by 2 percent. The quarterly load factor for Norwegian was 82.4 percent, down two percentage points from the same period last year. For Widerøe, the quarterly load factor was 70.2 per cent, an improvement of more than five percentage points from last year. The second quarter of 2024 marked the first quarter in which Widerøe is operating under the new public service obligation (PSO) tender contracts that came into effect on 1 April.