Norwegian signs agreements to lease three new 787-9 Dreamliners

Norwegian has signed agreements to lease three new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners for its long-haul operation. Two of the aircraft will be delivered in 2016 and one in 2017. This is the brand new, more environmentally friendly and even larger Dreamliner model, which is scheduled to enter commercial service this year.

Norwegian continues to expand its international operation by signing agreements to lease three Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. Two of the aircraft are scheduled to enter service in 2016, while the third is scheduled to enter service in 2017. Today, Norwegian has five 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft in its fleet and another three on order. In addition, the company has six 787-9 Dreamliners on order. With the new order announced today, Norwegian will have 17 aircraft in its long-haul fleet in 2018.

Facts about Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner:

• Accommodates up to 20 % more passengers than the 787-8 Dreamliner
• 6 meters (20 feet) longer than the 787-8
• Significantly increased cargo capacity compared to the 787-8
• 8% lower fuel consumption per seat than today’s model, which also means lower emissions
• Can fly longer than the 787-8 (depending on cabin configuration).

The airlines company reported its first quarter results for 2014. The pre-tax profit (EBT) was -813 MNOK. Despite a seasonally weak quarter, the passenger growth is strong and the load factor high. The quarterly results are affected by the additional costs associated with wet-leasing replacement aircraft on long-haul routes, as well as a weaker Norwegian currency (NOK).  

The total revenue in the first quarter was 3.55 BNOK, up 22 percent from the same quarter previous year. The company carried 4.9 million passengers, a growth of 24 percent. The company’s traffic growth (RPK) was up as much as 50 percent, which means that Norwegian’s passengers fly considerably longer distances than they did a year ago.

The first quarter results are also characterized by a solid production growth (ASK) with an increase of 48 percent. The load factor was 77 percent, up one percentage point compared to the same quarter last year. Adjusted for one-off costs and a weak Norwegian currency (NOK), the unit cost (CASK) was reduced by nine percent.

Additional costs related to the long-haul operation amounted to 78 MNOK in the first quarter. This includes wet-lease costs, additional fuel, as well as costs for accommodation, food and drink for delayed passengers who have been affected by the technical and operational problems associated with the long-haul operation.

During the first quarter, Norwegian has taken delivery of five new Boeing 737-800s and one Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. This morning, Norwegian announced an order of an additional three 787-9 Dreamliners. Norwegian currently has five Dreamliners in its fleet as well as 12 on order. See separate press release.

“Traditionally, the first quarter is seasonally weak and in addition the figures have been significantly affected by a weak Norwegian currency (NOK) against the dollar and the euro. Also, the wet-lease of aircraft has negatively impacted the quarterly result. On the positive side, the passenger growth is strong and the load factor continues to rise, even with the company’s strong production growth. The strong competition in Norway reflects the prices, but Norwegian is becoming increasingly equipped to meet this competition,” said CEO Bjorn Kjos. - See more at: http://www.traveldailynews.com/news/article/60370#sthash.NuQy61c7.dpuf

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Ryanair falls out of favour as Norwegian Air and easyJet voted best for budget flights (and BA is named UK's top airline)

Ryanair is no longer among the top five airlines in the UK for budget flights, according to a  survey. Norwegian Air topped the poll, voted the best for holidaymakers looking for value for money - with easyJet second, British Airways third, Jet2 fourth and Monarch making up the top five. While BA was voted the best airline in the UK overall, travellers believe they get better value for money elsewhere, with lesser-known Norwegian scooping first place. BA was revealed as the favourite carrier in four out of five categories - best food and drink, best customer service, best on board experience and best overall style - the Skyscanner survey of 4,000 Brits who frequently fly short haul revealed. 

 

But when it comes to price, the Scandinavians won out, voted the best value for money of any short-haul carrier operating to and from the UK. Norwegian, which has recently been pushing its cheap fares in a massive advertising campaign, is not seen by its customers as just a no-frills airline. It was second to BA for customer service, onboard experience and style and fourth behind BA, SAS and Lufthansa for best food and drink, said Skyscanner. Frequent fliers were only allowed to answer about airlines they had used in the last two years and any with fewer than 200 respondents were not included in the final tables.

Skyscanner's Mary Porter said British travellers were very 'proud' of BA and its motto of 'To Fly To Serve'. She added: 'It's perhaps not surprising that British Airways has scooped the top spot in our survey. 'But it is particularly interesting to see such strong results for a far less well-known airline - Norwegian. 'It goes to show that low cost does not necessarily mean an inferior product or service.'

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Norwegian opens its new base at Barcelona, Spain

Norwegian Air Shuttle (Oslo) and Spanish authorities are celebrating today the opening of the new base in Barcelona. It is the sixth Spanish base along with Madrid, Alicante, Malaga, Las Palmas and Tenerife.

The mood among the travelers were on top when Norwegian, Spanish authorities and partners celebrated the opening of the new base in Barcelona with a ribbon cutting, refreshments and speeches. Between March and October this year Norwegian expects to fly around 700,000 passengers to and from Barcelona. During the same period last year traveled 490,000 passengers to and from the Catalan capital.

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Norwegian Air: we are not courting Air Berlin

Norwegian Air Shuttle, Europe's third-largest budget airline, is not in talks to buy Air Berlin, the company told Reuters on Friday, denying a report in business daily Finansavisen that it was. 

"Under normal circumstances we would not comment on such rumors and speculations in the market. But on this occasion I can deny that Norwegian Air is a potential buyer," Norwegian Air spokeswoman Anne-Sissel Skaanvik said in an interview.

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British Airways: 'No impact' from upstart Norwegian

Ambitious trans-Atlantic expansion plans by upstart budget carrier Norwegian Air Shuttle are unlikely to have a significant impact on British Airways and Iberia, according to the chief executive at the International Airlines Group (IAG).

"For us, Norwegian doesn't really change the dial at all," said Willie Walsh, CEO of IAG, whose holdings include both British Airways, Iberia and Spanish low-cost unitVueling.

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Norwegian Air's Boeing 787s may be delayed a few weeks

Norwegian Air was expected to have four Boeing 787 Dreamliners delivered this spring but delivery may now be delayed for a few weeks after Boeing reported finding some wing cracks, daily newspaper Aftenposten said on Monday.

Boeing said last week that "hairline cracks" had been discovered in the wings of about 40 787 Dreamliners that are in production,

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