Norwegian Air November passenger numbers down as capacity is cut

Norwegian Air’s passenger numbers slipped in November as the load factor reached a record high for the month.

 

The Scandinavian low cost carrier cut capacity by 31% over the previous month or 6% against October last year as it operated 75 aircraft. 

 

The number of passengers carried fell by one per cent year on year to 1.5 million.

 

Total monthly group carryings reached 1.84 million when regional airline Wideroe’s 324,000 numbers are included.

 

Norwegian Air’s load factor rose by three percentage points to 82.4%.

 

Chief executive Geir Karlsen said: “We had a strong performance overall during November. The load factor for Norwegian is the highest we have ever recorded for this month, showing that the network and capacity adjustments we made for the winter season are making a positive impact. 

 

“We are also pleased with an increase in the unit revenue in November for Norwegian, and that operational performance continues to be solid into the winter season.”

 

He added: “We are well prepared for a busy holiday period and see solid demand for Christmas travel, both for domestic, city and beach destinations. 

 

“The most popular dates are filling up fast, and we are all looking forward to bringing our passengers to their Christmas destinations. 

 

“The booking momentum remains encouraging well into the beginning of next year, with more tickets sold than at the same point last year.”