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Travel restrictions and demand slump hit Norwegian Air

Norwegian Air suffered a 91% fall in August passenger carryings as the impact of Covid-19 continued to hamper travel demand.

The year-on-year collapse saw the budget airline fly just 313,316 passengers in what would normally be a peak month for summer holiday traffic.

Capacity in August was down by 94% and the flights that did operate had a load factor of just 62.1%.

The Scandinavian carrier reopened 76 routes from July 1 and put an additional 15 aircraft into service.

Summer frequencies and routes were adjusted in accordance with variations in passenger demand linked to changing government travel restrictions and advice, according to the airline.

Chief executive Jacob Schram said: “Passenger demand continues to be rapidly impacted by changing government travel restrictions across different markets.

“We are continuously adapting our network to adjust to these changes as necessary to ensure that we keep vital air routes open and concentrate supply in line with demand.

“The prolonged crisis that has impacted every part of the aviation industry continues to create uncertainty in all markets making the need for a long term liquidity support package even more critical to protect tourism, jobs and international trade.”

Norwegian Air last week confirmed plans to slash its long-haul fleet of Boeing 787 aircraft which form the basis of the carrier’s base at Gatwick.

The airline also warned that it needed “more help” to survive the winter as changing travel restrictions stalled the carrier’s restart and major card companies continued to withhold payments.

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