Double boost for Norwegian

With third-quarter profits more than doubling this year, Norwegian is keeping up the pace and continuing to expand its international operations by signing an agreement for 19 new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.

The order means the carrier’s long-haul fleet will more than quadruple to 38 aircraft within the next five years.

It is the largest single order of 787-9s in Europe and includes purchase options for an additional 10 aircraft of the same type. 

Norwegian operates the Dreamliner from its Gatwick base, serving New York, Los Angeles and Fort Lauderdale. A Gatwick – Boston service will be launched next May, while next month sees the launch of the UK’s only direct route to Puerto Rico.

Meanwhile, the carrier says fuller aircraft, higher ticket prices and cheaper fuel were behind the increase in profits for the three months to September from £30m in the same quarter last year to £66m.

Norwegian said demand and advance bookings for the final quarter of the year were “satisfactory” and it expects its capacity for the year to end 5% up following the expansion on to long-haul routes.

The airline carried 7.7m passengers in the third-quarter, an increase of 9%. Long-haul passenger numbers were up 15%.  www.norwegian.com

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