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​Norwegian reports year-end traffic figures: Record high load factor and 26 million passengers in 2015

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​Norwegian reports year-end traffic figures: Record high load factor and 26 million passengers in 2015

Norwegian reported its highest ever passenger figures in a single year with almost 26 million passengers in 2015 and a load factor of 86 per cent. The company’s long-haul operation contribute considerably to the growth.

Passenger growth, more new aircraft and high load factors characterised 2015. The company carried 25.7 million passengers in 2015, 2 million more than the previous year. The company took delivery of 11 brand new aircraft and launched several new routes, particularly long-haul services. It also launched domestic services in Spain and connected the U.S. East Coast with the French Caribbean. The 2015 load factor was 86 per cent, up from 81 per cent in 2014.

Norwegian received several international customer awards in 2015, including “World’s best low-cost long-haul airline” by SkyTrax. Norwegian was also named the most fuel-efficient transatlantic airline by The International Council on Clean Transportation thanks to its brand new Boeing 787 Dreamliners.

December 2015 was characterised by passenger growth and a solid load factor. Norwegian carried almost 1.7 million passengers in December, up 9 per cent from the same month last year. The capacity growth (ASK) in December was 12 per cent and the traffic growth (RPK) was 15 per cent. The load factor was 83.3 per cent, an increase of 2 percentage points.

Norwegian CEO Bjørn Kjos said: “We are pleased that more and more people have chosen to fly with us, especially in the new destinations where we have introduced our service. Even with the launch of a number of new routes, we have still been able to fill our planes better than before. Our long-haul operation has stabilised and contributed significantly to the 2015 figures. It bodes well going forward, as it increases our global competitiveness and positions us for further growth at London Gatwick.

“In December, many Scandinavians and Europeans have chosen to travel, either home for Christmas or to their favorite vacation getaway. Our new routes from London and Scandinavia to the Caribbean have been very well received. Our new routes from Boston, New York and Baltimore / Washington to the French Caribbean islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe have also been well received,” said Kjos.

Norwegian operated 99.4 percent of its scheduled flights in December, of which 76.4 per cent departed on time.

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Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA, commercially branded “Norwegian”, is a low-cost airline listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. Norwegian is the world's seventh largest low-cost airline. The company reported its highest ever passenger figures in a single year with almost 24 million passengers in 2014. Norwegian has a route portfolio that stretches across Europe into North Africa and the Middle East, as well as long-haul flights to the US and Southeast Asia. The company has over 400 routes to more than 130 destinations and employs approximately 5,500 people. The company has several hundred undelivered aircraft on firm order. Norwegian was founded in 1993 and its headquarter is in Fornebu, Norway. Norwegian offers better leg room than most competitors, in-flight WiFi on short haul, a fleet of around 100 aircraft with an average age of only four years; one of the youngest fleets in the world. In 2013, 2014 and 2015, Norwegian was voted Europe’s best low-cost carrier of the year by the renowned SkyTrax World Airline Awards. Norwegian was also the first airline to be awarded the World's best low-cost long-haul airline in 2015 by SkyTrax. In 2014, Norwegian also won three prizes at the prestigious Passenger Choice Awards for Best Airline in Europe, Best Inflight Connectivity & Communications and Best Single Achievement in Passenger Experience for its moving map on the 787 Dreamliners. In addition, Norwegian was awarded Europe's best low-cost airline by AirlineRatings.com for the second year running.

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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.

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