Press release - 1 December 2021 07:01

Norwegian enters into agreement to lease two Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft

Norwegian continues to selectively grow its aircraft fleet, and the company is pleased to announce that it has entered into agreement to lease two Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft.

“This agreement is an important step in Norwegian’s plan to build an efficient and modern fleet for the future. The flexibility of ‘power-by-the-hour’ will allow us to manage our capacity through the low season adjusting for variations in seasonal demand,” said Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian.

Delivery will begin shortly to enable Norwegian to fulfil the announced Summer 2022 flying programme with approximately 270 routes.

The lease term for each aircraft is for nine years. The agreement includes ‘power-by-the-hour’ (PBH) arrangements for both the IATA Winter Seasons 2021/22 and 2022/23, giving Norwegian necessary flexibility to manage capacity through the low season. Finally, Norwegian has the option, under the agreement, to substitute the subject 737 MAX 8 aircraft for new technology narrow-body aircraft from Airbus. The lessor is well reputed and has a longstanding relationship with Norwegian.

The transaction will enable Norwegian to continue its focus on offering the most environmentally friendly travel options for our customers.

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Aircraft & operations

About Norwegian

Norwegian was founded in 1993 but began operating as a low-cost carrier with Boeing 737 aircraft in 2002. Since then, our mission has been to offer affordable fares for all and to allow customers to travel the smart way by offering value and choice throughout their journey.

Norwegian has been voted Europe’s Best Low-Cost airline by Skytrax for six consecutive years and won Airline Program of the Year Europe & Africa at the Freddie Awards for four consecutive years. Since 2012, Norwegian has won over 55 awards for our service, product, and innovation in the industry.

We were the first airline in the world to join the UN Climate Secretariat’s climate action-initiative in 2019, pledging to work systematically to become carbon neutral by 2050.

Norwegian operates a short haul network across the Nordics and to key European destinations providing customers with excellent quality at affordable fares.

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

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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.