Press release -
Norwegian renews UNICEF partnership and flies emergency aid to Sierra Leone
On the same day that Norwegian and UNICEF extend their partnership agreement for four more years, a Norwegian aircraft takes off from Copenhagen bound for Sierra Leone in Africa. Both the luggage compartment and the cabin are fully loaded with emergency aid for children in crisis. The flight is a collaboration between Norwegian and UNICEF.
"This is the most important flight of the year. We are very proud of the partnership with UNICEF, and that we can use our resources to help deliver life-saving aid to children in need. This flight highlights how important aviation is, not only by connecting people, but by conducting critical supply deliveries all over the world. Through our long-term collaboration, we have contributed around 65 million NOK to UNICEF’s work, and this partnership is very meaningful for Norwegian. We look forward to continuing the partnership with UNICEF in the years ahead," said Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian.
This is the seventh time Norwegian has carried out an emergency aid flight together with UNICEF, where the company provides aircraft and personnel. Getting to crisis-affected areas quickly is often crucial for saving lives, and air transport plays a key role in reaching the destination in time. On the flight to Sierra Leone, 7.2 tons of first aid equipment were loaded onto the aircraft by Norwegian and UNICEF.
"This flight is not just a delivery of emergency aid, but a symbol of hope and solidarity in very unstable times. Norwegian has, through several years, been a driving force for children’s rights. They continue to make a very real difference for many children, said Maria Greenberg Bergheim," Secretary General of UNICEF Norway.
The humanitarian situation in Sierra Leone is serious but rarely gets media attention. Through the years of crises, children and families have experienced civil war, health crises, climate catastrophes and major security problems. The country’s infrastructure is a major challenge, which makes it hard to deliver supplies and emergency aid when crises occur. In Sierra Leone, UNICEF works to care for women and newborns in critical first weeks after childbirth, to secure access to vaccines and clean water, and to give children education and the opportunity to go to school.
Norwegian and UNICEF extends their partnership agreement
Norwegian has been a partner of UNICEF Norway since 2007. Norwegian has raised almost 65 million NOK through different activities together with customers and employees. The new agreement is for four more years, until 2028. In addition to customer donations and contributions from the employee’s own charity actions, Norwegian gives a yearly contribution, as well as an extra donation instead of employee Christmas gifts. Customers can choose to give a donation to UNICEF when buying tickets via Norwegian’s website or app.
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About Norwegian
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 2024, Norwegian carried 22,6 million passengers and maintained a fleet of 86 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 2024, the airline had 3.8 million passengers and a fleet of 49 aircraft, including 46 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.
