Norwegian will take a decision in the next six months on the 30 options it holds for Boeing 737 Max jets as it expects to take delivery of 11 to 13 aircraft this year.
The low-cost carrier took the options as part of its order for 50 Max 8s placed in the summer of 2022.
Speaking during a fourth quarter results briefing today, Norwegian chief executive Geir Karlsen said: “We do expect to take first delivery of our own aircraft order later this year. We will also take a decision during the next six months on the 30 options we have on top of the 50 aircraft. And the options have even more attractive pricing than the firm 50 aircraft.”
Norwegian now expects to have a fleet of 88 Boeing narrowbodies this summer – it previously guided for around 90 – and Karlsen says the carrier will today take delivery of a third Max 8 so far this year.
“That means we have already taken delivery of three out of the four aircraft we are planning ahead of the summer season,” he says. “So it is really good to see that the production rates at Boeing are increasing and that we can plan and be comfortable with the fleet we are planning to have during the peak season.”
He adds: “We do anticipate to take delivery of 11 to 13 aircraft during 2025, which will take the fleet up to 94-96 aircraft by the end of this year.”
The group also includes regional unit Wideroe, which ended 2024 with a fleet of 49 aircraft – predominantly De Havilland Canada Dash 8 turboprops.
The delay in deliveries though does mean the airline will slow its capacity growth this year. Norwegian expects to lift available seat kilometres only 4% in 2025 – compared with double-digit growth last year – and the airline is embarking on a profitability programme aimed at tackling the associated increase in units cost together with the impact of the weakening Norwegian Krone.
Norwegian cited the latter in today posting an operating loss of NKr93 million ($8 million) in the fourth quarter – with a NKr226 million balance sheet impact relating to the weaker Krone versus the US dollar.
The group, including Wideroe for the first time, posted an operating profit of NKr1.87 billion for the full year, compared with a profit of NKr2.2 billion in 2023. Revenues, in part reflecting the addition of Wideroe, climbed to NKr35.3 billion last year from NKr25.5 billion.
