Press release - 4 September 2015 07:00

European holidaymakers and long-haul traffic boost Norwegian’s traffic figures for August

Passenger growth and solid load factors characterize Norwegian’s traffic figures in August. More than 2.5 million customers flew with the airline this month and the load factor was close to 90 percent. Increased long-haul traffic and holidaymakers in the UK and Europe contributed to the positive traffic figures.

Norwegian carried 2,566,179 passengers in August, an increase of 9 percent compared to the same month previous year. The total passenger traffic (RPK) increased by 9 percent while the capacity (ASK) increased by 1 percent this month. The load factor was 89.7 percent, up a solid 6.1 percentage points from the same month last year. 97 percent of the long-haul seats were filled in August.

“Holidaymakers in the UK and Europe contribute positively to this month’s traffic figures. I’m very pleased that an increasing number of customers in the UK, Germany, Spain and the US choose Norwegian’s high quality flights at affordable fares. It proves that the company is even better equipped to meet the tough international competition going forward,” said CEO Bjørn Kjos.

Norwegian operated 99.9 percent of its scheduled flights in August, whereof 80.2 percent departed on time.

The company took delivery of two brand new Boeing 737-800 aircraft in August, of a total of ten in 2015. With an average age of about four years, Norwegian’s fleet is among the most modern and environmentally friendly in Europe. Norwegian also entered into an agreement to acquire two new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners in August with delivery in 2017. By 2018, Norwegian will have a fleet of 19 long-haul aircraft.

For more detailed information, please see pdf attached.

Media contacts:
Chief Communications Officer Anne-Sissel Skånvik, tel. +47 975 54 344
Chief Financial Officer Frode Foss, tel. +47 916 31 645

Topics

Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA, commercially branded “Norwegian”, is a low-cost airline listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. Norwegian is the world's seventh largest low-cost airline. The company reported its highest ever passenger figures in a single year with almost 24 million passengers in 2014. Norwegian has a route portfolio that stretches across Europe into North Africa and the Middle East, as well as long-haul flights to the US and Southeast Asia. The company has over 400 routes to more than 130 destinations and employs approximately 5,500 people. The company has several hundred undelivered aircraft on firm order. Norwegian was founded in 1993 and its headquarter is in Fornebu, Norway. Norwegian offers better leg room than most competitors, in-flight WiFi on short haul, a fleet of around 100 aircraft with an average age of only four years; one of the youngest fleets in the world. In 2013, 2014 and 2015, Norwegian was voted Europe’s best low-cost carrier of the year by the renowned SkyTrax World Airline Awards. Norwegian was also the first airline to be awarded the World's best low-cost long-haul airline in 2015 by SkyTrax. In 2014, Norwegian also won three prizes at the prestigious Passenger Choice Awards for Best Airline in Europe, Best Inflight Connectivity & Communications and Best Single Achievement in Passenger Experience for its moving map on the 787 Dreamliners. In addition, Norwegian was awarded Europe's best low-cost airline by AirlineRatings.com for the second year running.

Contacts

For journalists only

Press contact Norwegian Press Office press@norwegian.com +47 815 11 816

Marketing/sponsorhip requests: marketing@norwegian.com

Press contact Marketing/sponsorship requests: marketing@norwegian.com

Norwegian.com

The Norwegian group is a leading Nordic aviation company, headquartered at Fornebu outside Oslo, Norway. The company has over 8,200 employees and owns two of the prominent airlines in the Nordics: Norwegian Air Shuttle and Widerøe’s Flyveselskap. Widerøe was acquired by Norwegian in 2024, aiming to facilitate seamless air travel across the two airline’s networks.

Norwegian Air Shuttle, the largest Norwegian airline with around 4,700 employees, operates an extensive route network connecting Nordic countries to key European destinations. In 2023, Norwegian carried over 20 million passengers and maintained a fleet of 87 Boeing 737-800 and 737 MAX 8 aircraft.

Widerøe’s Flyveselskap, Norway’s oldest airline, is Scandinavia’s largest regional carrier. The airline has more than 3,500 employees. Mainly operating the short-runway airports in rural Norway, Widerøe operates several state contract routes (PSO routes) in addition to its own commercial network. In 2023, the airline had 3.3 million passengers and a fleet of 48 aircraft, including 45 Bombardier Dash 8’s and three Embraer E190-E2's. Widerøe Ground Handling provides ground handling services at 41 Norwegian airports.

The Norwegian group has sustainability as a key priority and has committed to significantly reducing carbon emissions from its operations. Among numerous initiatives, the most noteworthy is the investment in production and use of fossil-free aviation fuel (SAF). Norwegian strives to become the sustainable choice for its passengers, actively contributing to the transformation of the aviation industry.