Press release -
Norwegian Group had 2.6 million passengers in September
In September, Norwegian had 2,263,270 passengers while Widerøe had 356,259 passengers, totalling 2,619,529 for the group. The capacity was up 10 percent while the number of passengers rose by 11 percent compared to September 2023. Norwegian responds actively to external challenges impacting the airline by maintaining a strong focus on costs, even with positive September traffic figures.
“I am pleased that we have increased load factors throughout the summer and into the autumn season, while at the same time delivering double-digit capacity growth. The autumn school holiday period in Norway is performing well, and we are looking forward to a busy October ahead and an upcoming winter season with many new and exciting destinations. While we are happy with the performance, we are not complacent. We are actively managing costs to mitigate any upcoming challenges,” said Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian.
Norwegian’s capacity (ASK) was 3,541 million seat kilometres, up 10 percent from the same period last year. Actual passenger traffic (RPK) was 3,017 million seat kilometres, an increase of 12 percent from September 2023. Load factor increased by 1.2 percentage points from the same period last year, to 85.2 percent. In September, Norwegian operated with a regularity, meaning share of scheduled flights taking place, of 99.4 percent. The punctuality, meaning share of flights departing within 15 minutes of scheduled time, was 78.6 percent, down 6 percentage points from September last year, in part due to weather and heavy air traffic control restrictions. Norwegian operated an average of 86 aircraft in September.
Boeing strike causes worry
Boeing has been faced with different challenges over the past years, the most recent being the ongoing strike action. Now moving into week four of the strike, more than 30,000 technicians and mechanics have walked out, further impacting an already heavily delayed production schedule.
“The strike is further delaying Boeing deliveries, which were already significantly behind schedule. This will delay our deliveries well into next summer and increase short-term costs, requiring us to prioritise cost-saving measures. We are considering various mitigating actions to overcome the shortage of aircraft, such as lease renewals,” said Geir Karlsen.
For Widerøe, the capacity (ASK) in September was 182 million seat kilometres. The actual passenger traffic (RPK) was 134 million seat kilometres, while the load factor was 73.5 percent, up 6.7 percentage points from September last year.
Separate press release on Widerøe’s traffic figures is found at the Widerøe media centre. (In Norwegian only)
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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.
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.
