Norwegian carried 2,263,270 passengers in September while Widerøe transported 356,259 people.

Norwegian Group had 2.6 million passengers in September

September 2024 was a busy month for the airlines in the Norwegian Group according to figures released last week. 2,263,270 passengers travelled with Norwegian during the month, while Widerøe had 356,259 passengers, totalling 2,619,529 for the group. 

Capacity was up 10% while the number of passengers rose by 11% compared to September 2023, with Norwegian operating an average of 86 aircraft throughout the month. Load factor was just a little up from the same period last year to 85.2%.

“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. 

Boeing strike causes worry

The aircraft manufacturer Boeing, the supplier of all of Norwegian's fleet, has been faced with numerous challenges over the last few 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.

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