Norwegian has signed an agreement to lease four long range Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.
The deal with International Lease Finance Corporation means that the low-cost carrier has ordered 14 wide-body aircraft in total, three of which are already in service.
The 787-9 is larger than the 787-8 that Norwegian currently operates on its long-haul routes. The aircraft are due to enter service in 2017 and 2018.
Norwegian currently has three 787-8 Dreamliners in its fleet, with an additional five on order.
The carrier also has two 787-9s due for delivery in the first quarter of 2016.
The 787-9 can carry 20% more passengers than the 787-8 and offers 8% lower fuel consumption.
The agreement came as Norwegian gained an air operators certificate from Irish authorities to enable its long-haul operations to be relocated to Dublin through a subsidiary, Norwegian Air International.
“Norwegian has established its long-haul company in Dublin for several reasons. The main reason is access to future traffic rights to and from the EU. Norwegian has more than 260 aircraft on order and the route network will expand rapidly in the years to come,” the airline said.
The move comes as Norwegian awaits US approval to start long-haul transatlantic routes, including three planned services from Gatwick.
Commenting on the order for additional aircraft Norwegian’s chief executive Bjørn Kjos said: “In order to run a competitive long-haul operation, we are dependent on brand new, cost-efficient aircraft.
“I´m very satisfied to have secured an additional four 787-9 Dreamliners. This is a great airplane with high passenger comfort, long range and low fuel burn.”